NORTH Yorkshire firm Just Puds has succeeded in getting its product stocked at Asda and Waitrose stores.

The Ripon-based firm' product, Just Puds, was recently praised by celebrity chef Rick Stein, who declared: "They're good enough to be served in my own restaurant."

The product was named by the Independent newspaper as "one of the ten best puddings in Yorkshire".

The firm is run by farmers Rosemary and Graeme Robinson.

Graeme said: "Things have really taken off for us in the last few months and we have moved from a "farmhouse kitchen" business to supplying major national retailers, but we have kept our home-made luxury pudding identity while still retailing at a competitive price."

As a member of the Regional Food Group for Yorkshire & Humber the full-time, dedicated team, passionate about regional food Just Puds attended a successful Asda Meet The Buyer event earlier this year, which was targeted at sourcing regional products. The result was that the puddings became available this month at Asda stores in York, Harrogate, Pudsey, and Teesside.

It follows an earlier success when Waitrose agreed to stock Just Puds in its Harrogate and Otley stores.

Mr Robinson, who farms 140 acres at Masham, mostly arable but some sheep and livestock, said: "We really wouldn't have been able to get a foot in the door with the supermarkets without the help of the Regional Food Group"

The Regional Food Group is holding another national meet the buyer event at York Racecourse in February 2005 when more than 200 Yorkshire-based companies are expected to meet 35 national buyers.

Just Puds sales in the Yorkshire Asda stores now outstrip other nationally-marketed luxury pudding competitors.

The buyers at ASDA were so impressed with the response, that they added another five Teesside stores to Just Puds stockists.

Updated: 12:04 Tuesday, November 09, 2004