Oxfordshire-based apple and pear grower Waterperry Gardens was on top form at the Real Food Festival this month, handing out testers to consumers and prospective clients who passed its stand.
Orchard manager Chris Lanczak told freshinfo that the company’s three-hectare micro orchard, which grows more than 65 varieties of apples, pears and plums, was made viable by its diversification into juice 12 years ago.
“Making juice has turned the orchard around,” he said. “The company has been going for more than 30 years and 12 years ago it was really struggling to survive. Now we have very little wastage and use all of our crop.”
Waterperry Gardens also sells its apple crop at local farmers’ markets and farm shops, with Pitmaston Pineapple, Cox and Egremont Russet proving best sellers. The company produces 32,000 bottles of 21 types of juices a year from its 200sqm bottling and packaging plant on the farm site.
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