Some of the very best farm retailers in the UK have been revealed after the Farm Retail Association announced its national finalists today.
Innovative and inspiring businesses from all corners of the country have been shortlisted across eight categories; from the Rising Star Award which celebrates business development and newcomers to the industry, to the Farm Shop Butchery of the Year Award.
Other categories include: Large Farm Shop of the Year (turnover over £1.5m); Small Farm Shop of the Year (turnover under £1.5m); Farmers’ Market of the Year; Farm Café/Restaurant of the Year; PYO of the Year; Associate Member of the Year.
Chair of the Farm Retail Association, Emma Mosey said: “Farm shops and farmers markets continue to be the nation’s retail beacons for sourcing fresh and nutritious produce with low food miles, from passionate and knowledgeable often family-run, independent businesses.
“It is right that we celebrate the crucial role that these invaluable food and drink retailers play at the heart of the communities they serve. Running throughout our finalists are inspiring stories of innovation, consistent quality produce and customer service excellence: terrific achievements and qualities that have been demonstrated during a challenging period for retailers amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
“Congratulations to everyone who is shortlisted and good luck. This is your time to shine, and we are looking forward to celebrating your achievements in March at our grand awards ceremony!”
The awards (sponsored by specialist retailer COOK) will take place on Tuesday 5th March at Holiday Inn Peterborough West as part of the FRA’s annual Stronger Together event, 2024.
The ceremony will follow a day of behind-the-scenes retail tours, and conference day which will include topical workshops and expert guest speakers.
The category of Pick Your Own Farm (PYO) of the Year, was shortlisted in July as judging took place in the height of the PYO season. The finalists are:
- Bells Farm Shop, Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire
- Farmer Copleys, Pontefract, West Yorkshire
- Horsforth Pick Your Own, Leeds, West Yorkshire
AWARDS SHORTLIST:
Large Farm Shop of the Year sponsored by Cunninghams EPOS Group
Millets Farm Shop, Frilford, Oxfordshire
This family-run farm shop with in-house butchery, bakery, deli, cooked meat counter and fresh produce section, is supplied by Millets Farm which specialises in soft fruit and grows seasonal vegetables.
Forage Farm Shop & Kitchen, Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan
Located on the Penllyn Estate, Forage is supplied with produce from the attached working farm. Beef, lamb and pork are all home-reared, with eggs coming from the large flock of laying hens.
Farmer Copleys, Pontefract, West Yorkshire
Farmer Copleys celebrates Yorkshire and British food and agriculture, with on-farm experiences. Still innovating in its 20th year, recent edition Copleys Kitchen produces jams, chutneys, gelato and ‘Spin the Honey’ from hives in an immersive production-retail combination.
Small Farm Shop of the Year Sponsored by The Cress Co
Bells Farm Shop,Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire
Bells family-run farm shop offers the taste of home-grown fruit and vegetables from its 40 acres of Pick Your Own, and has been doing so for more than 50 years.
Alder Carr Farm Shop, Needham Market, Suffolk
Nestled in the heart of the Suffolk countryside, Alder Carr Farm Shop champions local, seasonal and artisan produce, including its own butchery, and deli counter, and award-winning ice cream.
Cedarbarn Farm Shop and Café, Pickering, North Yorkshire
Began as a PYO strawberries caravan 28 years ago and is now a thriving PYO, farm shop, café and miniature railway. Much of its produce is grown on its own farm and prepared by hand in-house.
Farm Café/ Restaurant of the Year sponsored by Arrange Spaces
Millets Restaurants,Frilford, Oxfordshire
The Farmhouse Kitchen at Millets Farm Centre was operated as a concession for 25 years until the third generation of the Carter family brought the catering offer back under their management to make the connection between field, farm and fork thrive.
Runcton Farm Café, Chichester, West Sussex
This family-owned farm shop café offers fresh, seasonal produce, harvested daily from its farm and is transformed during pop-up evenings into a space for evening dining.
Cedarbarn Farm Shop and Café, Pickering, North Yorkshire
Cedarbarn focuses on preparing traditional, wholesome food with the freshest ingredients, including homegrown fruit and vegetables and beef and lamb reared by co-founder, Karl Avison on the 200-acre family farm.
Farm Shop Butchery of the Year sponsored by Angel Refrigeration
Welbeck Farm Shop, Worksop, Nottinghamshire
Launched in 2006, more than 70% of produce sold at Welbeck Farm is sourced or prepared at Welbeck estate, where an expanding beef herd of Belted Galloways is nearly ready for its butchery counters.
Millets Farm Shop, Frilford, Oxfordshire
Millets’ butchery is recently refurbished, featuring a dry-aging cabinet showcasing its best cuts. Its butchery counter champions local producers and offers a ‘ready-to-cook’ range.
Cedarbarn Farm Shop and Café, Pickering, North Yorkshire
Cedarbarn’s on-site butchery offers its own home-reared beef and lamb, and customers can see their meat cut by Master Butchers on the block.
Rising Star of the Year sponsored by Field Fare
Copleys Kitchen at Farmer Copleys, Pontefract, West Yorkshire
Copleys Kitchen produces jams, chutneys, gelato and ‘Spin the Honey’ from the hives in an immersive production/retail combination that is the culmination of a 12-year dream.
Runcton Farm Café, Chichester, West Sussex
This family-owned farm shop café offers fresh, seasonal produce, harvested daily from its farm and is transformed during pop-up evenings into a space for evening dining.
Forage Kitchen at Forage Farm Shop & Kitchen, Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan
Forage Kitchen’s 65-cover restaurant and takeaway is served with produce from the attached working farm. Beef, lamb and pork are all home-reared, with eggs coming from the large flock of laying hens.
Farmers Market of the Year sponsored by Dole
Abbey Leys Community Farmers Market, High Legh, Cheshire
Food is at the fore of this farmers market which supports local farmers and producers to sell fresh produce direct to customers.
Barnard Castle Farmers Market, Barnard Castle, Co. Durham
Attracting buyers and traders from County Durham, Cumbria, North Yorkshire and Northumberland, this farmers market offers naturally reared and organic produce, artisan preserves, sauces and more.
Marylebone Farmers Market, Marylebone, London
Popular with local residents and visitors to London, Marylebone Farmers Market offers more than 45 stalls selling produce direct from the farm and from artisan producers, including hot food stalls.
Associate Member of the Year
Arrange Spaces Ltd, Stroud, Gloucestershire
Restaurant furnishing specialists focused on creating inspiring and profitable farm shop and garden centre restaurants.
Just Desserts Yorkshire, Shipley, West Yorkshire
Established in 1985 in Salt’s Mill, Just Desserts Yorkshire specialises in baking a range of more than 100 hand-crafted desserts.
Fresh Retail, Skipton, North Yorkshire
Fresh Retail is a small family-run consultancy business working with the UK farm retail sector to nurture business growth.
To find out more about joining the Farm Retail Association, contact FRA Manager Laura Copeland on 01423 546214 or e-mail
lauraj@farmretail.co.uk EDITOR’S NOTES
- The FRA (formerly known as FARMA) was established 1979
- The FRA is the national body which represents farm shops, farmers markets and pick-your-own enterprises across the country
- Around 325 UK farm shops and farmers markets are already members of the FRA
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jo Francisco, PR Manager: jof@yas.co.uk Direct Line: 01423 546215
Ben Barnett, PR Officer: benb@yas.co.uk Direct Line: 01423 546016
