There’s nowhere quite like Weeton’s. It has become a Harrogate institution as iconic as Bettys, but the biggest surprise is the company is still only six years old. Jo Loftus is managing director of the West Park store she calls the farm shop in town, having taken over the helm from her husband Andrew six months ago.

And Jo is on a mission. She says people are looking for high quality, locally produced food, which provides the key to reviving family farms.

And in a nutshell that is what her company is all about.

Take the meat. Weeton’s is ranked among the finest butchers in Britain and buys in two beasts a week, both sourced from selected Yorkshire farms.

“We only buy in traditional grass and haylage fed cattle,” says Jo. “They take longer to mature, but we believe the meat tastes better and is more tender.”

Another advantage of sourcing directly is that Weeton’s are able to undercut the supermarkets.

“It always amazes me that people see Weeton’s as an expensive place to shop, but it’s not the case. With no overheads we can offer better value meat and cheese – and ours tastes better.”

But this is more than just a butcher’s shop – much more. One of the UK’s most stylish delis and listed among the top 100 shops in the world, it stocks everything from fresh bread, including fabulous focaccia, and amazing chilli olives to a mouthwatering array of unique sauces and preserves.

Again Jo knocks the supermarkets into a cocked hat with her vegetables. Bob, from Knaresborough, calls round twice a week, nobody knows what he’s going to bring and, for Jo, that’s half the fun.

Today’s offerings from Bob include football-sized caulis for £1. It was freshly cut this morning, smells wonderful and is outstanding value.

Weeton’s main reputation has been built for luxury foods, and with good reason. Take the jams; locally produced, they have a high fruit content, but Jo says that involves small batches.

And it’s time-consuming.

“Nothing compares to home-made jam but it isn’t expensive; you are paying for what you get. And what you are getting is something unique.”

New to the shelves is an exclusive range of salt-free stock and jus from Swinton Park executive chef Simon Crannage.

It’s a perfect product for Harrogate. There are many young children in town with parents who are always looking for healthier ways to feed them.

Jo says supporting small producers is a passion. Whether it is the woman who supplies chillies from her garden in Harrogate or the chutney maker from Knaresborough.

But it’s time consuming. Every month Jo has to pay 800 separate invoices to local suppliers.

Rachel Porter is one of them and she is conducting tasting sessions with her preserves. It’s something Jo encourages, because small producers can meet their customers and because they work with small batches, can immediately alter the recipe according to their preferences.

“For me it’s about keeping it simple, having a personal interest and bringing traditional producers back to the fore,” says Jo.

It’s also about working with producers and moving with the seasons.

Then there is the company’s branded range of kitchen-cupboard staples that give Jo complete control over the product. New for 2012 will be Weeton’s own range of English, wholegrain and Dijon mustards. And forget ketchup, Weeton’s red and brown sauces are to die for.

So is the coffee. ‘Let’s meet at Weeton’s’ is regularly heard around Harrogate, and the café has a loyal following, some of whom turn up twice a day, every day.

The café is busy all day and there is always something to look at with the theatre of the shop, butchers at work, and people browsing.

Here, staff and customers are on first-name terms, couples sitting next to one another make new friends and the atmosphere is buzzing.

As they say in Harrogate, there’s nowhere quite like Weeton’s.

Weeton’s, 23-24 West Park, Harrogate HG1 1BJ • 01423 507100, weetons.com