Outstanding farm retailers celebrate national success

Thursday, March 13, 2025 - 09:56

The UK’s very best farm retailers have been revealed at the national Farm Retail Awards.

Organised by the Farm Retail Association, which has nearly 300 members nationwide, the Farm Retail Awards celebrate the cream of the crop in this thriving industry, showcasing an incredible array of farm retailers from across the UK. They are the only awards judged by fellow farm retailers and celebrate the best farm shops, cafés, restaurants, farmers markets, pick your own operators and trade suppliers.

This year’s awards were hosted by food and drink broadcaster and champion, Nigel Barden, and sponsored by Fieldfare – chosen, frozen and ready to pick – and were held at The Eastside Rooms, Birmingham last night (Wednesday, March 12th) as part of the FRA’s annual conference. The FRA was formed 46 years ago to support the industry and offers its members support, training, workshops and open days.

The 2025 award winners are:

Large Farm Shop of the Year, sponsored by Fresh Retail: Darts Farm, Devon

Small Farm Shop of the Year, sponsored by Cress Co: Castle Farm, Kent

Farmers Market of the Year, sponsored by Moseley Farmers’ Market: Lenham Country Market run by M Farmers Market, Kent

Pick Your Own of the Year: Garson Farm, Surrey

Farm Café/Restaurant of the Year: The Farm Table at Darts Farm, Devon

Farm Shop Butchery of the Year, sponsored by Angel Refrigeration Ltd: Millets Farm Butchers, Oxfordshire

Rising Star of the Year, sponsored by Fieldfare: River Cottage Kitchen and Store, Devon

Associate Member of the Year: Cress Co, Fife, Scotland

Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by COOK: Jo Mounce, Strawberry Fields, Devon

FRA Chair Emma Mosey said: “So much hard work goes into running an independent business, and we are incredibly proud of the brilliance demonstrated by all of our members. The Farm Retail Awards highlight the exceptional standards within our industry and showcase the dedication and innovation that makes farm retailers such a vital and thriving part of local communities.”

Nigel Barden, host of the Farm Retail Awards, said: “It’s been a huge honour to host the Farm Retail Awards this year. The passion within the farm retail sector is truly inspiring. These awards not only highlight individual success but also shine a spotlight on the importance of supporting local and the remarkable businesses who are shaping the future of the industry.”

The award ceremony was part of a three-day annual FRA conference which includes farm shop tours, an AGM, expert guest speakers and topical workshops. Today’s final conference day (Thursday, March 13th) includes practical workshops and guest speakers including George Eustice, the former Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Guy Singh-Watson, founder of Riverford Organic and Paul Hargreaves, CEO of Cotswold Fayre and Flourish.

The FRA Council would like to thank the event sponsors for their support. These include overall awards sponsors Fieldfare, additional sponsors Specialty Fine Food Fair and Doublecool UK Ltd as well as all the individual award sponsors.

AWARD WINNERS

Large Farm Shop of the Year	Sponsored by Fresh Retail
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
Small Farm Shop of the Year	Sponsored by Cress Co
Castle Farm, Kent	Castle Farm is a 4th generation family-run, 1,200-acre farm in Kent, centred 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
Farmers Market of the Year	Sponsored by Moseley Farmers’ Market
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
Pick Your Own of the Year
Garson Farm	Garson Farm PYO, one of the UK's largest, spans over 155 acres in Esher, Surrey. Family-run since 1871, the farm's fresh produce was transported to the London market traders up to 1981 when it opened to the public. From May to October, the farm attracts over 115,000 visitors, offering around 30 crops of fruits, vegetables, and flower crops.	Surrey
Farm Café/Restaurant of the Year
The Farm Table at Darts Farm	The Farm Table, Darts Farm’s new flagship restaurant, delivers a true field-to-fork experience with warm hospitality and seasonal, artisan produce from their 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
Farm Shop Butchery of the Year	Sponsored by Angel Refrigeration Ltd
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 centre daily, creating a unique destination for all visitors.	Oxfordshire
Rising Star Award	Sponsored by Fieldfare
River Cottage Kitchen & Store	Situated atop of their 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 their casual, dog-friendly space that embraces the essence of River Cottage HQ.	Devon
Associate Member of the Year
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
Lifetime Achievement Award	Sponsored by COOK
Jo Mounce, Strawberry Fields	This award recognises someone for their outstanding contribution to the Farm Retail sector. Jo has led Strawberry Fields to become one of the UK’s largest farm shops, focusing on offering quality homemade and own produce from their family run 200-acre farm. Jo has demonstrated how a vision can evolve into a reality for them and future generations.	Devon

To find out more about joining the Farm Retail Association, contact the FRA team on 01423 546214 or e-mail hello@farmretail.co.uk

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