ONE local supplier who has been with Asda for about a year is Gordon Tweddle, owner of Acorn organic dairy at Garthorne Farm, Archdeacon Newton, on the outskirts of Darlington.

The dairy, a member of Northumbria Larder, supplies many independent retailers and makes doorstep deliveries, as well as offering its products in the Asda store in Darlington.

Mr Tweddle is keen to approach more Asda stores now his business is expanding and introduce his products to the "Tyneside cluster" of stores.

From employing one or two people, he now has 14 families earning a living from the venture.

His milk can be in the cow at 5am and on a doorstep at 3pm that afternoon. "Nothing can be fresher but, because we retain control in producing, processing and delivering, our supermarket shelf life will be as good as everybody's else's," he said. "Our milk will be a lot fresher before it gets the date code put on."

Mr Tweddle was very happy with the arrangement with Asda. "As farmers, this is a whole new world for us," he said. "The local community wants that link back to the farm. The main outlet for our produce is our doorstep deliveries, but this is another string to our bow."

Other producers who will provide Asda with local produce following the North-East launch are Broom Mill Farm at West Auckland, which will supply speciality sausages; Jenkins and Hustwit, who will provide cakes from their Bishop Auckland base, and Lanchester Fruit which will supply apple juice.