IN what could be seen as a departure from the large-scale purchasing power of parent company WalMart, supermarket chain Asda is signing up local food producers in a bid to put more regional delicacies into its stores.

Although 200 producers countrywide are already supplying 900 lines, the Best of the North-East initiative will be launched on Monday, creating a North-East cluster of stores taking local goods.

Karen Todd, local sourcing manager for Asda, visited the region in advance to promote the company response to customer demand. At the Newcastle Falcons' Kingston Park Ground, she met producers - many of them members of Northumbria Larder, which promotes regional food and drink - and outlined what getting on board with Asda would mean and what would be expected of them.

"Of course we still use opportunities for global sourcing, but it is about balance," she said. "Our customers are telling us what their regional favourites are and requesting that we stock them.

"The impact of foot-and-mouth and BSE has also had an impact on the food chain and made us all feel more patriotic, which impacts on our range," she added.

The Government was pushing local food, as was Sir Don Curry, a board member of Northumbria Larder, who had written a paper encouraging everyone to get behind local foods.

"It's also being encouraged by TV chefs such as Rick Stein and Jamie Oliver," said Ms Todd. "We want to deliver local products to local sites for local customers. It's as simple as that."

In a market which could be worth as much as £160m in five years' time, she outlined the criteria Asda looked for when inviting a supplier on board.

"It has to be made or grown locally and recognised by the customer as traditional to their area," she said. "We have 267 stores and 90pc of them have at least one local producer on board. We rely on customers telling us what is local to their area."

Research had shown that, in the past, small suppliers did not want to hitch their wagon to large supermarkets, with Ms Todd quoting various reasons why.

"We heard comments that retailers were arrogant, it was not worth the trouble, and it took ages to get paid," she said.

Asda had tried to make it easier, offering commitment to small suppliers who might feel able to produce goods for only one store - such as Elliott's Eggs at Cockfield, which supplies the Bishop Auckland shop - and reviewing payment terms.

Among Asda suppliers, 15pc employed fewer than five people, while 66pc worked with independents, so there were opportunities for all.

"With us it is a week-in, week-out, regular basis," she said. "We have had people who have gone national after coming into one store; for those who want to stay with just the one, that's fine. But the growth in sales of local products has been 78pc, year on year.

"There is no costly technology; all we ask for is a fax machine," she added, although goods did have to carry a barcode.

One supplier already on board complained that one of his drivers had delivered four cases of wine to a store and had to queue for two hours behind articulated lorries making full deliveries.

He wondered if it would be possible to have a designated goods inwards person to deal with local quantities.

Ms Todd said "artics" would take priority, but he should arrange with the store to deliver at a particular time. But she was told a time had been arranged with the store, yet the driver waited two hours and five minutes.

She agreed the supplier had a fair point and that it was something that could be looked at if it was causing problems.

The partnership between Asda and North-East food producers was welcomed by Sandy Duncan, head of business development for Northumbria Larder.

"We look forward to working with Asda and, for those of our members who have taken up the group's offer, we wish them every success," she said