The Isle of Man’s newest farm shop has opened with a clear mission, to strengthen the island’s food security while rebuilding long lost routes to market for producers.
Founder of the Isle of Man Farm Shop Company, Matt Harrison, says the shop is designed as a single showcase for the quality and diversity of local produce, something he believes residents and visitors rarely get to see in one place.
Harrison argues the island already has the foundations of strong food resilience, but the system isn’t being used to its potential.
Food Security
The island has multiple bakeries, vegetable growers and meat producers, yet supermarket shelves still empty when boats are cancelled.
“We’ve got incredible food security on this island. We just don’t capitalise on it,” he said.
For many small producers, the challenge is access. Competing with mass‑produced imports on supermarket pricing can make local production unviable.
Harrison hopes the farm shop will provide a stable, high‑visibility route to market, especially for visitors, cruise passengers and TT crowds, helping hobby producers grow into financially viable businesses.
He also wants to revive crops the island once grew successfully, such as mustard and rapeseed, and explore opportunities for small‑scale processing and export.
Alongside retail, the shop plans to help households cut waste and costs through education on seasonal eating and food storage.
Harrison believes vegetables and much of the island’s seafood remain affordable, and that better knowledge can make local food accessible to more families.
“If you eat seasonally, it’s cheaper,” he said. “Let’s get people using the quality food we’ve got and stop wasting it.”
