Numerous well-known businesses in the fresh produce industry scooped prizes at last night (25 February)'s Grower of the Year awards.
Berry Gardens was the big winner, scooping four prizes (best agronomist, Jon Marcar; best new variety in top/soft fruit, Driscoll's Solero strawberries; soft fruit grower of the year, Littywood Farm; top fruit grower of the year, Lower Hope Farms), while Vitacress (best environmental initiative, peat free cress), Huntapac Produce (vegetable grower of the year) and Southern Salads (salad grower of the year, LJ Betts) also scooped prizes.
Other winners included AC Goatham & Son's Peter Bukowski as best production manager, Redarling Red Sprouts - proposed by Syngenta on behalf of Staples Vegetables - as best new variety for vegetables/salad, The Little Big Voice for best consumer marketing campaign (for its 'Love Your Greens' scheme run on behalf of the Brassica Growers' Association), Corkers Crisps as potato grower of the year, and tomato grower Robert Farthing as young grower of the year.
Nicholas Marston, Berry Gardens MD, said: “It is great to see so many of our growers and staff recognised by the judging panel for their dedication and passion to the UK fruit industry.'
Lower Hope Farms won the top fruit grower gong for its cherry concept orchard.
Simon Wells, MD of this business, said: “This award is due to the commitment and hard work of the team at Lower Hope Farms, and we will continue to push the boundaries of growing British cherries.”
Andy Mellonie, Marks and Spencer senior agronomist, added: “Lower Hope Farms' new concept orchard is a glimpse into the future of how all modern British cherry orchards will be managed in the future.
'It is a credit to the hard work and innovative approach of Clive, Andy, Simon and their team to see a series of trails on this scale. It’s extremely impressive to see just how quickly first production has been achievable.'
On Vitacress winning its award for boasting the best environmental initiative,Tony Reid, head of marketing at Vitacress, said: “Growing quality produce to high environmental standards is at the heart of what we do, and we are delighted to be recognised with this award.
'The new wood pulp substrate is a result of extensive trials, as the key for us was to find a medium that would easily transfer into cress punnets. This new method is very efficient and we are able to maintain our production levels while also minimising waste.”
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