LEFT-OVER fruit and veg has netted a West Oxfordshire firm a tasty deal with a major supermarket.

Combe-based Wonky Fruit will sell a range of relishes through the Co-operative in Chipping Norton from the end of January.

It follows a six-month trial where the Combe-based firm collected unsold fresh produce from seven Co-op stores across the county, before transforming it into chutney, sauces and relishes.

Brother and sister John and Ashley Cavers came up with the idea after becoming frustrated with the amount of food waste which ends up in landfill.

Marketing communications executive Miss Cavers from Combe and web developer Mr Cavers, from Sandhills, have since teamed up with professional caterer Laura Snook to create recipes including chilli tomato, onion and green pepper and lime relishes.

Ms Cavers said: “It’s a lovely circular supply story where, although we have also been getting produce direct from farmers, we are using a lot of Co-op leftover fruit and veg.”

Misshapen or marked fruit and veg, considered too ugly for many supermarkets, are also given a new lease of life by the Wonky team.

Their idea won the £1,600 top prize at live crowdfunding event Oxfordshire SOUP, held at Bicester School and sponsored by Bicester Innovation Centre last month.

They plan to use the cash to rebrand as The Wonky Food Company, before their recipes go onto Co-op shelves.

Ms Cavers said: “We have been working closely with Midcounties Co-operative’s local food team, who advised that our rebrand will help us stand out, as well as reflecting that we create recipes from vegetables as well as fruit.”

Matt Fletcher, who leads the direct sourcing team at Midcounties Co-operative, said: “We’ve had a long relationship with Wonky Fruit, which first started when we began donating our unsold fruit to the company so they could create delicious chutneys and relishes.

“We saw an opportunity to build on this partnership and help the team create a new brand that we could eventually stock on our shelves.”

He added: “We’re looking forward to introducing the first batch of the newly rebranded Wonky Food Company products to our Chipping Norton store in the New Year.”

The team is keen to hear from local farmers and suppliers looking for new markets for left-over or imperfect fruit and vegetables.