Teesside University supports Yorkshire food supplier business pivot

A Yorkshire food supplier has been supported by a North East university to pivot its business in order to adapt to the pandemic lockdown.

Direct Line Supplies (DLS), based in Thornaby, had lost nearly 60 per cent of its regular business due to the lockdown.

The company has now created a partnership with Teesside University to launch a new food delivery service, Orchard Vine Foods.

Direct Line Supplies has said that the “ingrained skills and knowledge” which it has accumulated throughout its 12 year partnership with the university contributed towards its ability to launch a new food delivery service in under 24 hours.

Pedram Salahshouri, director of DLS, commented: “Our ambitions and projects undertaken for the last 12 years have excelled with the support and strong relationship with Teesside University who we see as a crucial extension of our team.

“More now than ever with the changes taking place globally we could not wish for a more professional and structured support network that can help us evolve and adapt at an elevated rate equal to the speed of any change we face.

“As the world changes right before our eyes, we have been forced to fight or flight for the existence of our business.

“What is a scary and unprecedented situation today we hope to be a story of resilience and defiance next year.

“With the support of the university and the investment into our tech and dev division, we secured the skillset, capability and encouragement to adapt a change of our whole operation within 24 hours.

“No small feat made possible with our defiant team. Thus Orchard Vine Foods was born.

“Transferring the lost volume from B2B to B2C has not only been a fantastic challenge and journey towards survival but found ourselves suddenly providing an essential service to those who struggle to leave their homes during such dangerous times.”

Suhail Aslam, programme manager for Grow Tees Valley, added: “The Grow Tees Valley project has been designed to target Tees Valley SMEs that have ambitions to significantly grow their business through the development of existing, or new, products or services into new sectors and markets.

“DLS has quickly responded to the COVID-19 challenge and utilised the GTV project to help access the right support and expertise to navigate through the challenges and opportunities this has created.”