We visited lots of outlets on our bus at NAFDMA a few weeks back.  Organised with military precision [!] we were blessed to be able to see, taste and experience a selection of farm markets across Virginia. One of the outlets we visited was Chiles Peach Orchard, based in Crozet- a sleeper town about 15 [...]

As I wrote in a previous blogpost I was delighted to be part of the 2012 NAFDMA Conference in Williamsburg, Virginia.  A three day bus trip visiting outlets followed by a three day conference meant it was pretty ‘full-on’ – but a great chance to absorb so much information and learnings. So what are the [...]

Just back from the 2012 NAFDMA Conference [NAFDMA = North American Farmers Direct Marketing Association].  I was there on a study tour arranged by Taste of Anglia/via Landskills East.  As I wrote in  a previous blog, it was an unbelievable opportunity for a small business such as mine to see what the Farm Shop market [...]

I spent 6 days last week attending the NAFDMA Conference in Virginia.  NAFDMA  stands for North American Farmers Direct Marketing Association – its UK equivalent is FARMA.  I was there with a group of 19 others on a study trip from the UK, attending the conference and seeing how Farm Shops and retail are done [...]

If I am asked for my advice on how to start a food business then one of the first things I bang on about is to pour lots of thought into how you are going to get the product to the consumer right at the start! Yeap, that’s right before you’ve even designed a scrap [...]

We are going to be at the following Trade Shows in 2012! FEAST EAST – 2-4 March [Linton, Cambridge] IFE/FARM AND DELI SHOW – 25-27 March [NEC, Birmingham] SOURCE – 23/24 April [Westpoint, Exeter] CAFFE CULTURE – 16/17 May [Olympia, London] HARROGATE SPECIALITY – 24/25 June [Yorkshire Event Centre, Harrogate] SPECIALITY FOOD FAIR – 2-4 [...]

Absolutely thrilled to be the winner of the FoodBev 2012 Best Social Media Campaign.   FoodBev provide a global insight into food and drink trends and innovation – they span from large to small companies and have a razor sharp insight into everything going on in the world of food and drink. The judges comments were: [...]

I started Breckland Orchard last year in the midst of the credit crunch, and perhaps that’s not thought by most folk to be the most austipicious time to start a business. For me I’ve loved the discipline of starting a business when times are tight……it forces you to think differently, to be creative and to [...]