Staffordshire hampers are a christmas winner

With goose pate from Cheslyn Hay, apple juice from the Shugborough estate and chocolate from Lichfield, Oliver Bradley was spoiled for choice when he set up his hamper business.

The 35-year-old has created the County Hamper Company from his Lichfield home where he just sells items from Staffordshire – and it is proving popular with ex-pats.

The web developer and designer set up the business a year ago and this Christmas he has been inundated with requests and is shipping out 60 hampers for the festive celebrations.

Other items in the hampers include cake from Whittington near Lichfield, jams from Woodseaves, near Stafford, and mayonnaise from Hill Ridware, near Rugeley.

Oliver, who lives in Agincourt Road, Lichfield, with his wife Sarah and children Beatrice, three, and Thomas, six months, came up with the idea while at work.

"Working for a marketing company I regularly saw people coming in with good business ideas and I thought I could give it a go," says Oliver, who works at the Marketing People in Burntwood.

"I knew I had the skills to create my own business, and regional food is becoming more popular and so I decided to sell the items online."

Oliver thought about coming up with an on-line deli but then started to formulate plans for the hamper company.

He said: "I have around 30 different products from 15 suppliers and our 'Staffordshire Hoard' is our largest hamper.

"Luckily my wife is very supportive and does a lot of the running around for me – it is a team effort.

"I'm lucky because I have the ability to set up a good website and that is where we get a lot of our customers from.

"The hampers are popular with ex-pats and I often send them out to places like Australia and Ireland.

"People also like to buy them for family who live in Staffordshire – and giving something that is regional makes it a bit more special."