A BULGARIAN couple have opened a new eco-friendly fruit and veg café and juice bar in Ellesmere.

Didka and Anton Chavdarova opened Freshmere, in Wharf Road,  on Thursday, March 16, and have been working there seven days a week, to give locals a chance to experience at their convenience.

The duo, alongside Didka’s best friend Radka, have gone into this with the idea of creating a place for people to enjoy fresh vegetables and fruits that are not touched by plastic.

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Didka said: “At first I wanted to make Freshmere a completely plastic free shop.

“I realised soon enough that this would be impossible as there are some products that need wrapping.

“But everything else that doesn’t require plastic we got rid of it, even our cups are bio-degradable.”

She further explained that they wanted to give people the choice between a big supermarket chain and a small independent shop.

She added: “In big cities like London and Manchester, there are a lot of fruit and veg bars like this, but in towns like Ellesmere big supermarkets took over.”

Whitchurch Herald: Fruit and veg stand at the new shop Fruit and veg stand at the new shop (Image: Freshmere)

Didka and Anton moved to Ellesmere in 2011, and for the longest time they worked at a meat factory, until one day they decided that they want to bring a positive spin to the town.

The team took over the space back in July 2022, and this has been a project in the works for more than a year.

“We got the place in July” Didka said “But we decided to change everything, from the walls to the floors, kitchen bathroom, we wanted to make it our own.”

Whitchurch Herald: Didka and Radka cutting the ribbon at the grand opening Didka and Radka cutting the ribbon at the grand opening (Image: Freshmere)

The shop serves fruit and veg, and people can buy as little as one singular item, also it doubles a smoothie and juice bar and coffee shop with freshly grounded coffee.

At the moment Didka explained that the younger generations are not 100 per cent behind the concept but the elderly seem to enjoy it a lot more.

“The older people just seem happier” she continued.

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 “I think it’s because they remember what it was like before big chains took over.”

The couple, alongside their helpful best friend are hoping that more and more people are going to come in and learn more about their business while enjoying fresh smoothies, fruits, veg or coffee.

To learn more about them you can visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090126091556