Some of the very best farm retailers in the UK have been named after being shortlisted for the national Farm Retail Awards, sponsored by Fieldfare.
The finalists, who are from Devon, Kent, Lincolnshire, London, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Scotland, Shropshire, South Yorkshire, Staffordshire and Surrey, will now go through to the glittering awards ceremony on Wednesday 12th March at The Eastside Rooms in Birmingham.
The eight award categories include the Rising Star Award which celebrates business development and newcomers to the industry; the Farm Shop Butchery of the Year Award; 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 and Associate Member of the Year.
This has been an exciting year for FRA which has unveiled a new rebrand as part of ambitious plans to expand the UK-wide membership organization which champions farm shops, PYOS and Farmers Markets.
Chair of the Farm Retail Association, Emma Mosey said: “It’s wonderful to shine a light and celebrate our farm shops and Farmers Markets which are often independent, family-run businesses at the heart of communities. The sector is an important bridge between field and fork, sourcing fresh and nutritious produce with low food miles, from passionate and knowledgeable retailers.
“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 full list of finalists are below:
Large Farm Shop of the Year | Sponsored by Fresh Retail | |
Cannon Hall Farm Shop | Cannon Hall Farm is a working farm with a visitor center, restaurants, and a farm shop selling beef, pork, and lamb raised onsite. With in-house butchery, bakery, and kitchen, it combines traditional service with modern marketing, offering farm-to-fork food all in one location. | South Yorkshire |
Darts Farm | Over 50 years ago, Ronald Dart pioneered UK pick-your-own farming. After his passing, sons Paul, Michael, and James transformed Darts Farm into a celebrated Exeter hub for farm-to-table dining, local produce, artisan goods, and sustainable practices, championing regional flavours through vibrant restaurants, a café, cheesemonger, and butchery. | Devon |
Welbeck Farm Shop | Welbeck works with a community of producers on the estate, offering a ‘Made at Welbeck’ range, including artisan breads, handcrafted ales, Stichelton cheese, and raw milk. The award-winning butchery features estate-reared meats and locally sourced game, with seasonal produce. | Nottinghamshire |
Small Farm Shop of the Year | Sponsored by The Cress Company | |
Ardross Farm Shop | Ardross Farm Shop offers a unique farm-to-table experience, bringing the finest locally sourced produce straight from fields in the East Neuk of Fife. This includes seasonal vegetables, free-range meats, artisanal cheeses, and homemade delicacies, emphasising quality, sustainability, and community spirit. | Fife, Scotland |
Castle Farm, Kent | Castle Farm is a 4th generation family-run, 1,200-acre farm in Kent, centered around its Farm Shop. Offering a diverse range of home-grown produce, including hops and lavender, visitors can enjoy seasonal activities like PYO sunflowers and pumpkin picking. | Kent |
Fordhall Farm Shop | Fordhall Farm Shop offers unique meat products not typically found in supermarkets, showcasing whole carcass butchery for a full nose-to-tail experience. Popular items include bones, fat, and offal, catering to those seeking a natural diet. They also stock locally grown vegetables and artisan products from over 40 nearby producers. | Shropshire |
Farm Café/ Restaurant of Year | ||
Millets Farm Centre | Millets Farm Centre’s family-friendly restaurant features a welcoming patio, while the Farmhouse Kitchen Restaurant emphasises quality, freshly prepared ingredients and exceptional customer service. The diverse menu caters to various tastes, ensuring memorable dining experiences that keep customers coming back for more. | Oxfordshire |
The Farm Table at Darts Farm | New flagship restaurant, The Farm Table, delivers a true field-to-fork experience with warm hospitality and seasonal, artisan produce from the farm and food hall. Guests enjoy wood-fired pizzas, seasonal plates, and sharing feasts like whole turbot and tomahawk steaks, all crafted to showcase quality local ingredients in an immersive, open-fire setting. | Devon |
Welbeck Farm Shop (Harley Cafe) | The Harley Café, located in The Courtyard at Welbeck Farm Shop, serves a seasonal menu crafted by Head Chef James Armstrong. Featuring fresh ingredients like handmade sourdough, wild venison, and home-reared lamb, the café is proud to support local producers. | Nottinghamshire |
Farm Shop Butchery of the Year | Sponsored by Angel Refrigeration Ltd | |
Denstone Hall Farm Shop & Café | Denstone Hall Farm Shop & Café offers great quality food and local produce as part of a thriving beef and arable business for 17 years. Focussing on sustainability, using their own farm produce and sourcing high-quality local ingredients. Their award-winning products and exceptional customer service attract visitors from near and far. | Staffordshire |
Fordhall Farm Shop | Fordhall Farm Shop offers unique meat products not typically found in supermarkets, showcasing whole carcass butchery for a full nose-to-tail experience. Popular items include bones, fat, and offal, catering to those seeking a natural diet. They also stock locally grown vegetables and artisan products from over 40 nearby producers. | Shropshire |
Millets Farm Butchers | Millets Farm, a homegrown business run by the Carter family since 1952, spans over 500 acres dedicated to fruit and vegetable farming. Evolving from a dairy farm into a multi-attraction site over three generations, the family now manages the farm center daily, creating a unique destination for all visitors. | Oxfordshire |
Rising Star of the Year | Sponsored by Fieldfare | |
River Cottage Kitchen & Store | Situated atop our working farm, above the Cookery School and Farmhouse, the River Cottage Kitchen & Store is ideal for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, or evening drinks. Enjoy stunning views of the Axe Valley and Jurassic coast in our casual, dog-friendly space that embraces the essence of River Cottage HQ. | Devon |
The Farm Table at Darts Farm | The Farm Table, our new flagship restaurant, delivers a true field-to-fork experience with warm hospitality and seasonal, artisan produce from our farm and food hall. Guests enjoy wood-fired pizzas, seasonal plates, and sharing feasts like whole turbot and tomahawk steaks, all crafted to showcase quality local ingredients in an immersive, open-fire setting. | Devon |
PYO of the Year | ||
Craigies Farm Ltd | This family run business is known for its farm shop, café, play barn and PYO fruit experience. The farm shop offers a variety of fresh, locally sourced produce, meats and artisanal products. The on-site restaurant serves homemade meals and baked goods made from farm fresh ingredients. A range of seasonal activities and educational events are on offer, making it a popular destination. | Queensferry, near Edinburgh |
Garson Farm | Garson Farm PYO is proudly one of the UK’s largest PYO Farms. Spanning over 155 acres, the farmland has been tenderly cultivated since 1871 by the same Thompson family line. For 110 years, the farm’s fresh produce was transported to the London market traders up to 1981, when the gates opened to the public and PYO began. | Esher, Surrey |
Manor Farm Fruits | Manor Farm Fruits has been owned and run by the Clarke family for the last three generations and is one of Staffordshire’s longest established soft fruit growers. They grow 17 acres of soft fruit designated specifically for ‘Pick-Your-Own’ during the summer months as well as selling ready picked blueberries and rhubarb. | Tamworth, Staffordshire |
Farmers Market of the Year | Sponsored by Moseley Farmers Market | |
Hall Place Bexley Farmers Market operated by M Farmers Market | The Hall Place Bexley Farmers Market takes place monthly on the first Sunday, offering local food, drink, and craft stalls in the beautiful grounds of Hall Place’s 65-hectare gardens. Enjoy a variety of products, meet stallholders, and explore this historic, Grade I-listed site in the Borough of Bexley. | Kent |
Lenham Country Market run by M Farmers Market | Lenham Country Market runs monthly on the second Sunday in the charming village square, set to the sound of church bells. Enjoy local food, drink, and select crafts while meeting knowledgeable stallholders. Established in 2000, this beloved market remains a favourite among village residents. | Kent |
Associate Member of the Year | ||
Cotswold Fayre | Cotswold Fayre is a leading wholesaler for specialty food and drink, supplies 5,000 products from 450 artisan suppliers to 2,000 retailers. Established in 1999 with a focus on farm shops, it remains a trusted partner for ambient, chilled, and frozen products, sharing its values through fine food. | London |
Cress Co | Cress Co are the largest distributor of ambient and chilled retail fine foods in the UK, delivering nationwide using their own fleet of dual temperature vehicles. Placing Customer Service at their core, they supply farm shops and other independent retailers from depots in Dunfermline, Milton Keynes, Maltby, Telford and Bristol. | Fife, Scotland |
Hortifeeds | Hortifeeds has been a leading manufacturer of premium, specialist fertilisers and biostimulants for nearly three decades. We support growers with tailored crop nutrition programmes, and extensive range of water-soluble powder fertilisers, granulated and liquid options, developed to promote high-quality crop production, resilience and improve nutrient use. | Lincolnshire |