When I first stepped into the Real Eating Company’s café in Chichester, I didn’t quite know what to expect. What I found was more than coffee and cake. Laura, who runs the café, brought the place alive with her warmth, passion and enthusiasm. Within minutes, the café felt less like a chain and more like a welcoming home, one with a story worth telling.
A passionately independent journey
The Real Eating Company is not your average café chain. Founded around 20 years ago by Helena, who swapped a career in advertising for food and hospitality, the business has evolved from full-service restaurants and delis in Hove and Lewes to a family of independent cafés across the south.
“I call it being proudly independent,” Helena explains. “We don’t have big shareholders. It’s myself and the team who make it work, or don’t. That connection with customers, and being transparent about our journey, strengthens the bond we have with our communities.”
The early days included restaurants, hampers, even cheese workshops (Helena is still something of a cheese expert). But after experimenting with cafés, the model proved simpler and more sustainable. So the focus shifted and Real Eating Company as we know it today was born.
Why local matters
Local sourcing has always been central to the Real Eating ethos, long before it became a buzzword.
“Lots of places talk about supporting local, but when you look closer, it’s often just marketing,” Helena says. “We’ve always been fussy about who we work with.”
And the numbers speak for themselves. “If you spend £20 at an independent business, around £7.50 stays in the local community. Spend the same with a chain, and only £2.20 stays local. That difference matters, it’s money going into local schools, suppliers, printers, and charities.”
Chichester: a launchpad for change
Chichester has recently become something of a test kitchen for the company’s next chapter. Post-Covid, menus had been simplified out of necessity. But now, Real Eating is bringing back more variety and creativity, starting here.
“This is about returning to our roots,” says Helena. “Integrity in what we serve and showing customers how we’re different from a large chain. Chichester is our launchpad for that.”
Laura has led the charge on the new menu. “We’ve introduced fresh salads — a butternut squash, lentil and vodka salad; an orzo pasta salad with roasted vine tomatoes; and a summer slaw with a yoghurt and rose harissa dressing. The summer slaw has quickly become the most popular. Personally, I love the frittata, made with local Sussex Charmer cheese.”
Alongside these are house-made granola, jams and compotes, as well as more family-friendly options like cheesy beans on toast. It’s not fine dining and it’s not meant to be. It’s everyday food, done well, with care.
Local suppliers with a story
The café proudly champions suppliers who share its values. One new partnership is with Piglet’s Pantry, the award-winning Sussex business supplying sausage rolls, cakes and scones (yes, the same ones made for Buckingham Palace).
They also work with Curd & Cure, a woman-owned food wholesaler in Kent sourcing some of the best cheeses, meats and breads in the country. Through them, the café brings in fresh, bespoke soups, more like what you’d make at home than anything mass-produced.
Other staples include Sussex Charmer cheese, local apple juice and a growing list of regional producers. The aim is always the same: great quality, independent suppliers, many of them women-led businesses.
Supporting women in coffee
Even the coffee cups tell a story. Until recently, the Real Eating Company featured designs celebrating local landmarks like Chichester Cathedral. Now, their cups proudly declare “Supporting Women in Coffee”.
The beans come from Mio, one of the very few women-owned coffee farms in Brazil. “It’s not the easy option,” Helena admits. “It’s more expensive. But it’s the right thing to do. We want to stand behind our values, and support women in an industry where that’s far from the norm.”
The result? Coffee that tastes good and does good — something you won’t find at the big chains.
Sustainability at heart
Long before it was fashionable, Real Eating moved to sustainable packaging. More recently, they’ve reduced packaging overall, scrapping toasty bags and cutting back wherever possible. “It’s about doing the right thing, not just what looks good,” Helena says.
A people place
What really makes the Chichester branch special, though, are the people. Laura, who joined in January, says: “I was drawn to the Real Eating Company because of Helena’s story and her commitment to supporting women in business. Before I even started, I could see the values weren’t just talk, they were lived. That made me want to be part of it.”
Helena agrees. “Over the years, we’ve had offers of investment and advice from the usual types. But that’s never been what we’re about. We’re about people, integrity, and independence.”
The Real Eating Company isn’t just a place for coffee or lunch. It’s part of a bigger movement: keeping money local, supporting women-led businesses, and showing that independence can thrive in a world of high streets dominated by chains.
In Chichester, the café feels like the best of both worlds: familiar and friendly, yet proudly different. It’s a place where every salad, every coffee cup, and every sausage roll has a story behind it — and where those stories connect customers to a wider community.
So next time you’re in town, stop in. Order a coffee, try the frittata, and know that you’re supporting something much bigger than just a café.
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