Rooted in Resilience: How The Vale Grocer is rewriting the story of local food in Denbigh

Rooted in Resilience: How The Vale Grocer is rewriting the story of local food in Denbigh

In the picturesque landscape of the Vale of Clwyd, a quiet revolution is taking place—one vegetable box at a time. It is a story that begins not with a centuries-old family farm inheritance, but with a moving-in present, a steep learning curve, and a deep desire to change how a community eats.

This is the spotlight story of The Vale Grocer, a business that has evolved from a simple delivery service into a cornerstone of North Wales’ sustainable food sector.

The “Accidental” Farmers

The seeds of The Vale Grocer were sown in 2016, when Chris and Liz Kameen moved to a village just outside Denbigh. Upon arrival, they found a vegetable box waiting on their doorstep—a welcome gift that would inadvertently alter the course of their lives.

“This box would come to play a big part in our future,” the couple explains. Like many consumers, they found that receiving a weekly delivery of seasonal produce revolutionized their cooking habits, forcing them to be creative with whatever ingredients the seasons dictated.

Two years later, in 2018, the business that supplied that box—then known as “Eat Your Greens”—went up for sale. Despite having “very little previous experience in growing or selling vegetables,” Chris and Liz took a leap of faith. They couldn’t imagine life without their weekly box and correctly guessed that other customers felt the same.

Learning the Land: A “No-Dig” Philosophy

Transitioning from customers to primary producers required a rapid education. Today, the couple manages a market garden on approximately half an acre of rented land in Prion, where they operate two polytunnels and a greenhouse.

What makes their operation distinct is their commitment to soil health. They utilize a two-wheel walking tractor and employ “no-dig methods,” a technique championed by mentors like Charles Dowding, which builds up the soil structure over time rather than disrupting it.

While they are not organically certified, their philosophy is strictly chemical-free. “We grow using organic methods,” they state, noting that they also look to permaculture for inspiration. Their mission was clear from the start: they wanted to eat produce grown without chemicals and ensure their local community could do the same.

A Unique Hybrid Model for North Wales

Since taking over in 2018, Chris and Liz have expanded the business far beyond a simple delivery round. Liz Kameen notes that, to their knowledge, “there is no other business… in N Wales combining what we do”.

The Vale Grocer has evolved into a multi-faceted food hub comprising four distinct pillars:

1. The Market Garden: Growing seasonal produce in Prion.
2. Veg Boxes: Delivering around 100 boxes a week to customers in the Vale.
3. The Farm Shop: A physical location open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday mornings.
4. The Denbigh Farmers Market: A monthly event launched to help other local food businesses reach customers.

To ensure their customers have a full range of produce year-round, they operate with a transparency that is refreshing in the food industry. They supplement their own harvest with organic vegetables from “Organic North,” a wholesaler that connects them with organic farms across the UK. This hybrid sourcing model allows them to eliminate wastage by ordering exactly what is needed while ensuring customers aren’t limited only to what can be grown in the Welsh climate.

Health, Community and “30 Plants a Week”

The driving force behind The Vale Grocer is not just commerce, but wellness. Chris and Liz have become advocates for reducing ultra-processed food consumption and increasing plant diversity in local diets.

“We love the idea of having a goal of 30 plants a week, although often manage 30 plants a day!” they joke.

This focus on health resonates with their customers.

One loyal customer, M.C. noted:

“I’ve even started cooking more from scratch which I stopped doing after the kids grew up and left the nest”.

Another customer praised the flavour difference, stating:

“The fruit and veg from The Vale Grocer is outstanding! I won’t go anywhere else”.

Recognition on the National Stage

The hard work of The Vale Grocer team has not gone unnoticed.

The business was shortlisted for a prestigious Countryside Alliance Award (often referred to as the “Rural Oscars”) in the Rural Enterprise category for Wales. They were recently celebrated as Runners Up for Best Rural Enterprise in Wales 2025.

The awards recognize businesses that “work hard to keep our communities and rural economy ticking”. For Chris and Liz, the goal has always been to show farmers that selling directly to local consumers is a viable path to “driving better resilience in the food sector”.

Aligning with the Future of Welsh Food

The success of The Vale Grocer is a living example of the ambitions set out in the wider Wales Community Food Strategy. The strategy highlights the need to “enable stronger, diverse local supply networks” and aims to ensure that “more food bought in Wales is produced in Wales”.

By shortening supply chains and reconnecting people with the source of their food, The Vale Grocer is actively contributing to a “Resilient Wales”. Their work mirrors the national ambition to address food-related pressures by strengthening local food resilience.

As they look toward the future, Chris and Liz remain committed to their original ethos: making it as easy as possible for people to get good food and encouraging them to think about where it comes from. From novice growers to award-winning rural entrepreneurs, their journey serves as an inspiration for what is possible when a business plants its roots deep in the community.

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If you want to support a local food revolution (or just eat better vegetables), here is how you can find them:

• Location: Denbigh, North Wales
• Founders: Chris and Liz Kameen
• Established: 2018 (taking over from Eat Your Greens)
• Key Offerings:
  • Veg Box Delivery: Seasonal, chemical-free produce delivered to Denbigh & Ruthin areas.
  • Farm Shop: Open Thurs-Fri (10am–1pm) and Sat (9am-12pm).
  • Denbigh Farmers Market: Held the first Saturday of every month.
• Website: www.thevalegrocer.co.uk.