‘Match made in heaven’ for street food app partnering with Northampton garden centre on upcoming events

Vanessa Anderson is the brain behind the unique Indi Local app, which makes it easier to find street food vendors and pop-up events in Northamptonshire and beyond.

The concept is simple. Businesses and event organisers let the team know when and where they are going to be, and this information is presented as a map for users to explore and discover.

This project has been a labour of love and hard work since June 2023 and the Indi Local app launched in our county at the end of May this year.

Now, the Indi Local team is working on their first partnership with Woodmeadow Garden Centre on Kettering Road and they have two street food events coming up. The aim of the partnership is to help all businesses get better visibility by sharing the space.

Vanessa was introduced to Adam and Natalie from the garden centre through mutual contacts, with a suggestion that she could find food trucks to utilise their space in the run up to Christmas. Brooklyn Brownie Co. has also played an important role in bringing this vision to life.

With Christmas trees, animals and The Shack full of independent crafters, with one as young as six years old, Vanessa knew it would be the perfect place for food trucks.

The first of two events is happening this Friday (December 13), when Brooklyn Brownie Co. and Harpole-based gourmet burger business Jude’s Kitchen will be located at Woodmeadow Garden Centre.

The food trucks will be welcomed from 3pm until the garden centre closes on Friday evening, and the second event is planned for a week later on December 20.

“This is an initiative to get people supporting local this Christmas,” said Vanessa. “There are so many small businesses in the county and we want to help them.

“If this goes well, there could be the opportunity for an Indi Local summer pitch with more food trucks. This is our first ever food truck pitch.

“Our mission is clear – we want to make it easier than ever for people to find local businesses. This opportunity was a match made in heaven.”

As there is a lack of food festivals in the colder months, Vanessa was delighted to put a call out to her roster of traders about this new opportunity.

She has also set up businesses with corporate clients looking to treat their employees during the festive season – which includes food trucks pulling up at their workplaces.

Talking about the year that Indi Local has had, Vanessa concluded: “Our launch year has gone beyond my wildest dreams. I’m so pleased with how it’s gone and the strong community we have in Northamptonshire.

“Our focus is on community building and we have new features coming very soon, which will make it easier for vendors to upload their events without contacting us.”

Their strong online presence has also resulted in national attention for Indi Local, including being part of Small Business Saturday UK’s campaign.

For more information on Indi Local, visit their website here.