Training and workshops developed for farm retailers

We’re committed to supporting you and creating opportunities for you to share your experiences, learn from one-another as well as hearing from industry experts. The below training courses are priced for Farm Retail Association Members, not yet a Member? Get in touch today!

Please contact Laura Johnson at lauraj@farmretailassociation.co.uk with any queries or suggestions.

We’re proud to work with some fantastic companies offering specialist training courses within our sector. 

WEBINAR: 7 reasons to consider installing EV charging points for your business

Date/Time: Wednesday 8th November at 6pm – 7pm on Zoom
Hosted by: Andrew Donald, Pod Point
Topic: Installing EV charging points
Register here: https://form.jotform.com/232984062897370

Join us on a webinar with Andrew Donald of Pod Point, one of UK’s leading providers of electric vehicle charging. Andrew will share case studies to help FRA Members understand the areas to consider if you’re thinking about installing EV charging points at your business.

Andrew will also help to navigate us through the legislation surrounding EV cars and how the sector will look in the future.

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The Barn at Hartley Farm

The Barn at Hartley Farm
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Café/Restaurant Development Webinar

Tuesday 3rd October 2023, 6pm on Zoom

Join us on a webinar with Edward Berry of The Flying Fork where we delve into the subject of café and restaurant development. This is great opportunity to draw on Edward’s experience as former MD of the Ludlow Food Centre, winner of the FRA Supplier Award 2022 and his twenty years of operational and seven years of consulting experience.

This webinar will look to cover;

·         Where are your opportunities?

·         How will it impact on the business?

·         What challenges might we face?

·         How do we define our offer?

·         Service options and staffing

·         Business modelling and measuring

This session is free for Members of the FRA, who fall under the Farm Retailer categories.

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Strategy session

Monday 18th September 2023 from 2-4pm (7 spaces remaining)

This will be an online meeting, led by Chris Lowe from Insight6. Chris will be delivering a strategic session. The objective will be for each business to leave with a clear idea of it’s key issues and opportunities for the next 12 months. Using a SWOT analysis, you’ll leave with a list of the top 5 things that would have the biggest impact on your business. This session will help you identify the areas with the best opportunities that you could focus on for the success of your business.

This session is free for FRA Farm Retail Members to attend. If multiple colleagues within the same business would like to join the session, please complete the form once per business and join with one device on the day.

This session is ideal for business owners and senior managers looking for strategy planning support.

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Effective leadership – managing people and maximising productivity (3 places remaining!)

Wednesday 27th – Thursday September 2023, 9.00am – 5.00pm

£345 + VAT per delegate

Due to popular demand, this our third year running this course, so what are you waiting for? Get your team booked on!

Hosted by: Andrew Burton, of Malcolm Scott Consultants
Venue: Goodies Food Hall, Diss, Norfolk
Capacity: Maximum 12
Aimed at: Departmental managers, supervisors, and those who have responsibility for managing people/teams

Course outline

• Leadership styles
• Team personalities and teamwork
• Delegation and SMART objectives
• Accountabilities and team involvement
• Team Motivation

TAKE AWAY: A leadership and process based project for each individual to take back to their farm shops

What will the delegates gain from this session:
• Understand the appropriate style and actions to lead a team effectively
• Understand how to identify individual strengths in a team
• Understand when to delegate responsibility and effectively
• Understand how to identify accountabilities of the team
• Understand what can motivate individuals
• Best practice ideas shared among group; interaction via course and project planning session

FREE follow up at your establishment
Optional follow up on-site visit by course leader to review the TAKE AWAY project, reviewing the processes and personal objectives each delegate has set themselves, plus to see how they have used the course back at work.

About the course leader

Andrew has over 30 years experience in Retail and Catering Management, including staff training and development. Having hosted training sessions throughout his career, including on behalf of House of Fraser, Garden & Leisure and Severn Valley Railway, Andrew’s speciality is staff and middle management development. His background started in food retail, including butchery, produce and grocery management. Andrew then joined House of Fraser in a homeware and fashion management role, before joining the Garden & Leisure Group, with over 14 years experience at senior management level.

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Merchandising & Layout Workshop

Method:
Face to face, onsite session for up to 15 delegates.

Duration:
1 day (½ day Theory + ½ day Practical) – Can be arranged over 2 days with theory session in the afternoon of the first day – e.g. after main business period – and then the practical session starting early the next morning – e.g. before the main business period.

Suitable for:
Retail team leaders, retail managers who have no formal retail background, caterers & café team leaders, those involved in stock layout and replenishment.

During the workshop delegates will:

  • Gain insight into what makes today’s customer tick and how we can use that to our advantage in generating enhanced sales and better profitability.
  • Appreciate the importance of the visual impact of ALL the things your customers pass/ see while shopping or eating with you.
  • Learn how to identify your prime selling spaces and how to use those to best effect.
  • Learn how to create effective displays and simple techniques to add impact to layout.
  • Carry out a visual review of your retail spaces with the delegates – shop and/ or café, etc. – and create an action plan for change, based on the theoretical learning.
  • Prioritise and tackle those areas needing greatest change, leaving the spaces refreshed and more productive.
  • Draw up a list of actions that maybe need greater planning and/ or access during closed periods to complete the visual update.
  • Following the session all delegates will have ongoing access via email or telephone to Judy for further ideas or advice on future challenges.

Cost
£590 per day + VAT (i.e. from £40 per head) plus travel & accommodation as required.

Contact:
Judy Roberts, Right Product Right Place
0771 444 1715
Judy.roberts@rightproductrightplace.co.uk
www.rightproductrightplace.co.uk

Product Management, Maintenance and Reporting,  South West Region

Tuesday 13th and 14th September 2022 (Strawberry Fields, Lifton, Devon, PL16 ODE) 

£695 + VAT (per delegate) 20% discount available for FRA Members, email FRA for the code; hello@farmretail.co.uk

Hosted by: Fresh Retail and The EPOS Bureau
Aimed at: Senior Managers/Operations/Department Managers within a food business

Overview 

Module 1

In this module we will explain how having accurate data helps you manage and maintain your products within Eureka, from costing and margins to customer labelling. This will include a detailed look at capturing the right data throughout new product development. We will also go through the most up to date tips and features.

Module 2

In this module we will streamline your routines from purchasing goods and receiving deliveries to posting invoices and sales into your financial accounts. We will also be looking at why this is important for your business right from the start, how this works through Eureka and how you prepare to implement this within your own business. This will be a hands on informative session to really get the most out of your systems.

Its never been as important to get your margin correct with costs increasing daily.

Module 3

In this Module we will look in-depth at the outputs and management of your products and routines to make all the data work for your business.

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Effective leadership – managing people and maximising productivity

Tuesday 11th and Wednesday 12th January 2022, 9.00am – 4.00pm

£295 + VAT per delegate

Hosted by: Andrew Burton, of Malcolm Scott Consultants
Venue: The Blagdon Estate (Blagdon Farm Shop), Newcastle upon Tyne
Capacity: Maximum 12
Aimed at: Departmental managers, supervisors, and those who have responsibility for managing people/teams

Course outline

• Leadership styles
• Team personalities and teamwork
• Delegation and SMART objectives
• Accountabilities and team involvement
• Team Motivation
• TAKE AWAY: A leadership and process based project for each individual to take back to their farm shops

What will the delegates gain from this session:
• Understand the appropriate style and actions to lead a team effectively
• Understand how to identify individual strengths in a team
• Understand when to delegate responsibility and effectively
• Understand how to identify accountabilities of the team
• Understand what can motivate individuals
• Best practice ideas shared among group; interaction via course and project planning session

FREE follow up at your establishment
Optional follow up on-site visit by course leader to review the TAKE AWAY project, reviewing the processes and personal objectives each delegate has set themselves, plus to see how they have used the course back at work.

About the course leader

Andrew has over 30 years experience in Retail and Catering Management, including staff training and development. Having hosted training sessions throughout his career, including on behalf of House of Fraser, Garden & Leisure and Severn Valley Railway, Andrew’s speciality is staff and middle management development. His background started in food retail, including butchery, produce and grocery management. Andrew then joined House of Fraser in a homeware and fashion management role, before joining the Garden & Leisure Group, with over 14 years experience at senior management level.

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Hire well, Hire once!

Date TBC – express your interest to lauraj@farmretail.co.uk

£150 + VAT

Hosted by: Chris Lowe of Insight6
Venue: Online course delivered via zoom
Capacity: 8 delegates

Struggling to recruit great employees?  Employing team members that don’t seem to achieve your expectations? Learn the secrets and processes that will enable you to recruit and retain the stars of the future at any level in your business.

Online interactive Zoom Course – 3 hours, plus one 1:1 Zoom coaching session per delegate (30 minutes per go) to support implementation.

Fresh Success – Operating An Effective Farm Shop

Tuesday 7th September 2021 (live event, The Farm Stratford) followed by 2 x follow up zoom sessions 14th September & 21st September

£495 + VAT (per delegate)

Hosted by: Michael Boyle, Fresh Retail
Capacity: Maximum 10
Aimed at: Senior Managers/Operations/Department Managers within a food business

Overview 

Throughout this course participants will gain a deeper understanding of the part they play within operating a successful and effective food operation.

• Break down of a business P&L (Profit and Loss)
• What elements of the business fit within each component of a P&L
• What elements are controllable within the retail environment and what the shop team impact
• Overview of product costing (with live example) to review the process end to end, looking at shop delivery in achieving product quality/cost
• Mini project review to take away and complete within own business
• Follow up zoom calls to delve deeper into topic areas and provide further details into achieving longer term impact once the course is completed

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Build loyalty and create memorable moments!

£550 + VAT – 3 hour session

Hosted by: Insight6 Local CX Director
Venue: Your own farm shop
Capacity: Your full team / selected relevant team members

Have your team had a tough year and can you see it starting to impact your customer experience?

We will deliver an uplifting, engaging and motivating 3-hour session for the team focussed on improving the customer experience, building loyalty and creating memorable moments.

This would be locally delivered for a single farm shop by one of our Customer Experience Directors – designed for after lockdown as we would need to do this face to face to really impact on motivation.

Contact Chris Lowe at Insight 6 who can tell you more, and put you in touch with your local Insight 6 rep to discuss dates chris.lowe@insight6.com / 07818 015317

Contact Chris Lowe

A whistle-stop tour of the commercial realities of running a farm shop

Because we’re not all from the school of retail! Take a step back from your business for an hour and remind yourself of some key commercial measures you should be considering into the day to day running of your farm shop.

1. Maximising Your Farm Shop Turnover
2. Controlling Purchasing and Stock levels
3. Achieving Gross Margin targets
4. Running Events profitably
5. Controlling Overheads
6. Managing staff costs and performance
7. Effective Marketing
8. The importance of Data Analysis
9. Key Performance Indicators and Targets
10. Future business development planning

This course toom place over zoom in November 2020

Watch back on YouTube for FREE

Boosting the morale of your team – whilst looking after yourself and your business

It’s been an incredibly challenging few months. Owners, managers & staff have worked incredibly hard – with the busy Christmas period yet to come. This online session will explore how farm shop owners and managers can see their team (and themselves!) through the next few weeks.

    • Morale and Resilience – Strong connections, managing crises, viewing change as normal, a sense of perspective, positivity, decisiveness
    • Empathetic, Supportive, Leadership – Maintaining well-being, different leadership styles, addressing vulnerabilities
    • Team Spirit – Inclusivity, praise, events
    • Celebration and Reward – Public and private recognition, gamification, fun

This course took place over zoom in November 2020

Watch back on YouTube for FREE

E-commerce: How to make sure your website is ready for Christmas orders

Tuesday 29th September 2020, 6.00pm
THIS SESSION HAS ALREADY TAKEN PLACE, BUT CAN BE PURCHASED TO WATCH BACK please e-mail jenny@farmretailassociation.co.uk

Ensuring your website is ready for Christmas orders is on everyone’s minds at the moment. We’ve enlisted Susan Hallam MBE to give us some professional and practical guidance on how to ensure your current website is up to scratch, or how to update your site to do exactly what you need it to.

Christmas is a key trading period for all farm shops & markets, and we are all facing uncertainty and a changing social landscape. We are all planning for a Christmas like no other. Whilst we may not know exactly how the pandemic will impact Christmas 2020 ecommerce sales, we do know that online shopping will play an important part in your customer spend, and that spending patterns continue to evolve.

Susan will be covering:

  • an overview of trends and insights around new Christmas shopping habits
  • preparing your ecommerce store for “new normal” holiday shopping surge
  • an overview of ecommerce technology options for you to consider
  • planning new processes for your online shopping experience, from click and collect to handling online substitutions
Susan Hallam

Using social media to reach new customers, nurture relationships and drive sales

Tuesday 20th October 2020, 6.00pm
THIS SESSION HAS ALREADY TAKEN PLACE, BUT CAN BE PURCHASED TO WATCH BACK please e-mail jenny@farmretailassociation.co.uk

As we are approaching the critical Christmas period, learn how your company can take best advantage of social media to reach new customers, nurture relationships with your existing customers, and drive sales.. In this practical session, Susan will share examples of how you can set up your social media campaigns for optimal success,

  • Examples of successful Christmas social media campaigns for your to adapt for your own use
  • How to run cost effective social advertising campaigns to reach your target market
  • How to get your customers ready early for their holiday shopping planning
  • How to align your social media with pandemic-weary holiday shoppers
  • How to create your Christmas social media plan

Exploring the challenges of re-opening your cafe/restaurant when the time is right

PLUS bringing back your furloughed team

Tuesday 19th May 2020, 6.00pm

THIS SESSION HAS ALREADY TAKEN PLACE, BUT YOU CAN WATCH BACK BELOW.

Hosted by Elliot Rich, The Alternative Board (TAB). Elliot will share his practical advice on how other sectors are considering the return to work for some or all of their people and how this relates to Farm Shop Retail members.

Everyone wanted to talk about furlough and now no one wants to talk about furlough!

The key question now is how and when do we return to work, is there a new norm and has this lockdown period masked some of the challenges we were already facing some months before in our business which have just been kicked down the road.

Topics include:

  • Your confidence to bring some or all of your team back
  • Essential preparations for safe physical distancing at work
  • What does re-opening a café or PYO look like
  • Re-establishing working relationships & expectations
  • Marketing & PR – sustaining loyalty

Download accompanying slides

How can we use this opportunity to build our social following and keep new customers

Tuesday 28th April 2020, 6.00pm
THIS SESSION HAS ALREADY TAKEN PLACE, BUT YOU CAN WATCH BACK AND SEE THE INFORMATION HERE

Hosted by Susan Hallam MBE, CEO of award winning Digital Marketing Agency Hallam

It is clear the COVID19 crisis isn’t going to blow over any time soon, so your business needs to be rapidly realigning the way you communicate with your customers. Creating the right kind of messaging, defining a new purpose and focus is key to social media success. In this 40 minute session, Susan will help you to reflect upon and create a plan for:

  • Defining your new social tone of voice
  • Creating the right kinds of content
  • Updating your social media plan
  • Your top 5 social media steps to take for your business to thrive when time get tough
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