Photography courtesy of Brooke Art Studio Photography

An Apple A Day, the small produce collective brought to us by couple Shereen and Caleb Morris, has been providing Newcastle with fresh fruit and veg since early 2020. No longer operating from their alleyway in Mayfield, this little business has spread its wings and you can now find them in a brand-new retail space located in Tighes Hill!

Shereen and her team began renovations to the place in late December 2021, designing the layout, re-painting walls, and installing lighting, shelving, a ramp entry, and a cool room so that the space could reflect the nature of An Apple A Day; warm and welcoming.

Having never imagined that the business would operate on such a scale, opening their new retail space was a real change of pace for the An Apple A Day team.

“This was my little backyard side hustle that’s had a mind of its own and taken us on a completely unexpected journey,” Shereen laughed.

An Apple A Day officially opened its doors in February, featuring lots of new product varieties. Supporting as many local businesses as it can, An Apple A Day sources products from places all over the Hunter region.

Amongst its shelves, you will be able to find brands such as Conscious Flow, Brothology, Ready Spaghetti, Knockin’ Gnocchi, The Local Yolk, Pura Vida, Serious Deliria, Crema Coffee Garage, and Livingstone Pure Honey. With plans to continue to expand their product offering, you will begin to see more local businesses lining the shelves. 

The Apple team all eats various combinations of plant-based and gluten-free foods with a focus on whole foods, so you can be assured the shop is filled with plenty of great quality options. A seriously good deli filled with authentic salamis and many plant-based options is forming, with lots more variety in the planning stages. 

Sustainability is at the heart of An Apple A Day. As part of their sustainability initiative, the business strives to reduce waste, compost regularly, and cultivate worm farms. 

“One of the big goals is to be as sustainable as possible, and this includes minimising and avoiding plastic packaging wherever we can by packing produce into paper bags.”

The business also features a section dedicated solely to sustainable products, ranging from cosmetics to consumables. Taking care of both the environment and the community, the team at an Apple A Day have done a lot of research into why it’s worthwhile to buy sustainable products and hopes to share their knowledge with shoppers.

“We’ll try to have a different focus every week about a different kind of sustainable product so that people don’t feel overwhelmed about making small changes.

“There is so much awareness in the community about becoming more sustainable, but people sometimes don’t know where to start or what to do next. We’re here to have those conversations and love the reciprocal inspiration that we share with customers about our journey towards sustainability.”

The business loves locals and locals love the business! An Apple A Day has received a lot of support from Tighes Hill as excited customers continue to check it out.

Next time you’re doing a grocery run, skip the supermarkets and head down to An Apple A Day in Tighes Hill instead. You’re guaranteed to leave with bags full of fresh, glorious produce, and a whole lotta love!