AN ONLINE business originally designed to help local farmers has burgeoned after expanding to promote virtual markets for producers around the country.

The Great British Food Hub has been going for two years and is described as a “farmers’ market in your pocket”, allowing people to order produce from local businesses for either delivery or click and collect.

BUSINESS WEEK: Scottish tourism industry 'at risk of total collapse' | £1m glass house plan to save Glasgow pubs and restaurants | Edinburgh brewery proposal unveiled

David Campbell, of the Strathblane-based firm, said: “We set up a website which we can spin out to various hubs and locations and they can use our central processing and they can have their own local suppliers.

“So effectively a local hub has potential to draw together a whole load of local producers like cheesemakers and dairies. Aberdeen operates exclusively as a click a delivery service and turns over around £10,000 a week.

“Milngavie has a click and collect where customers open their boot, announce their location to the hub and a runner from the hub delivers to their open boot without direct contact. They also provide a doorstep delivery service.”