Real Community
Since opening our Broughton Street store in the 1970’s, here at Real Foods we have sought to contribute to the thriving community of independent, individual businesses that make our street one of the finest in Edinburgh.
A community is a group of interacting people, living or working in some proximity. Community usually refers to a social unit that shares common values and has social cohesion. As such the Real Foods community extends to its staff, its customers, its suppliers and, of course, the local people and traders in the local area.
This page is an introduction to our community.
First, take a look at the life of the Broughton Street Community
Why not take a glance at our highlights of the local area
Meet some Real Foods customers:
Customers are, of course, the life-blood of all businesses. Without them we wouldn't have a business. Here at Real Foods we try to listen to our customers’ needs and respond to them as well as we can. To encourage customers to be involved we run regular competitions with some really exciting prizes.
See some of our prize winners
Check out some of the businesses we share the street with
Meet some Real Foods suppliers:
Where would we be without our suppliers? Since moving into Broughton Street all those years ago we have made a point of supporting as many local suppliers as we can. Several of them are charities supporting disadvantaged people or those with special needs. Real Foods is proud to be able to provide good quality food which not only benefit the people who consume them but also provide real benefit to the people who make them.
Meet Garvald who provide employment for people with special needs and who supply delicious oatmeal and wholemeal loaves daily.
Meet one of our local suppliers, Garvald Bakery
In addition to supporting charities by collecting for them at till points and buying from those that supply foods that we can sell, we also support some charities with raffle prizes and with food donations.
Meet the Cyrenians who support the homeless and disadvantaged in Edinburgh and who keep hens who lay the most wonderful organic eggs.
Meet Tom Phillips of Cyrenians Farm
See the beauty of Broughton Street Community
Meet the local community:
Maybe you have heard about Real Foods’ fight to retain its signs, or maybe you are new to the Broughton Street Community. We think that a great deal of the charm of the area is due to the diversity provided by the many independent businesses located on the street.
Our new signage, aside from identifying our premises, is an expression of our individuality on a street full of independent traders, all adding to the great character of a street nominated for the Hippest Street category in Google's Street View Awards 2011.
Have a look at all the quirky, hip, individual signs located around the street and see how we contribute visually to the community.
If you have enjoyed our selections of photos of Broughton Street, browse our gallery of over 100 photos of this well loved and much revered Edinburgh Street.
See Real Foods then and now.