Case Studies

Daring to grow differently at Kingsclere Estates

We have had a chat with Tim May, who dares to farm differently- by creating a circular community of growers, farmers, and local businesses who benefit each other and the overall health of Kingsclere Estate.

Sadly traditional farming may not always be profitable. We had a chat with Tim May, Managing Director at Kingsclere Estate, whose vision at Kingsclere is to regenerate the estate for a fertile future by encouraging the growth of a circular community...

A chance conversation whilst on holiday turned into a successful small business for Izzi Rainey, whose Norfolk-based company designs and manufacturers high quality homeware and interior products on her home farm, where she also breeds Highland and Lincoln Red cattle.

A chance conversation whilst on holiday turned into a successful small business for Izzi Rainey, whose Norfolk-based company designs and manufacturers high quality homeware and interior products on her home farm, where she also breeds Highland and...

Alternative Agricultural Enterprises | Marketing

Born to Farm

We have a Q&A with Becky Dunn, founder of Born To Farm.

"If you can dream it, you can achieve it" are words of advice given to Becky Dunn, founder of Born To Farm, a clothing company for adults and mini farmers- and they are words that she has repeated often. We caught up with Becky to get to know a bit...

Alternative Agricultural Enterprises | Equestrian Supplies | Franchise | Marketing

The journey of a traditional family estate to a diversified business

Rhug Estate in Denbighshire, North Wales, once a very traditional estate, now a thriving, diversified business with its own brand. Over the past 20 years, Lord Newborough and his team have stepped the business up a gear, creating a multi-faceted...

On-farm wedding venue making its mark in the Cheshire countryside

There are now hundreds of weddings venues scattered across the UK, each bidding for the attention of the thousands of newly engaged couples all of whom are looking for that special something for their big day. From a business point of view,...

100% natural – The story of The Little Soap Company

‘You’ll never make a living out of soap,’ said a helpful bystander to Emma Heathcote-James, founder of the Cotswold based business, The Little Soap Company, but boy would she prove that person wrong. What started as a kitchen table hobby for...

The highs and lows of an equestrian PR - Tara Punter PR

A chance encounter has led equine and rural business PR professional Tara Punter to land her dream job, that today she wouldn’t change for the world. We caught up with Tara to find out where her rural business journey started and to share some of...

Farm Vending Machine Success for Herefordshire Family

Instone Court in Hereford is one of only three farms in the UK to host a refrigerated on-farm vending machine selling a wide range of fresh produce year-round from the farm drive. We catch up with owners Simon and Lenny Parker on their motive behind...

Home-grown handbags – the story of Hayley Hanson’s leather goods business

The determination to source sustainable British leather and create beautiful accessories and furniture ‘off the farm’ was the main driving force behind Hayley Hanson starting her business in 2011. Having grown up among a farming family and married...

Farm shop supports farm business growth - The Lambing Shed

The old lambing shed at Mosley Hall farm now plays home to a state-of-the-art farm shop and café with an in-house deli and butchers. The desire to diversify to help supplement the farm business, providing an additional income as well as more jobs...

Welsh Biomass Business Booming

Being in the right place at the right time, has contributed to the success of Pembrokeshire BioEnergy, however there is no denying that Paul and Emma Ratcliffe have worked hard and spotted opportunities to get to where they are today. The couple...

Farm diversification turns family dairy business into goat farm and more!

The decision to move away from milking cows was not an easy one for Tim and Marnie Dobson. However, the change in direction has initiated a ‘brakes-off’ approach and allowed the family to embrace new opportunities. Having been involved in the dairy...

Four diversification projects lead to successful complementary business

In the space of 11 years, Duncan and Vicki McConchie have created four complementary businesses, with a collective turnover of £1.5 million, all of which have been born out of identifying and meeting the needs of the market. The McConchie’s family...

Bruce’s Doggy Day Care

Farm diversification is nothing new. But we’ve seen a heightened conversation around the topic recently with Brexit a big driving force behind many of these discussions. However, with uncertainty comes opportunity and for one farming family in the...

Dairy Farmers Establish Successful Craft Brewery – The Story of Church Farm Brewery

The craft beer movement has seen a substantial rise in the number of microbreweries operating within the UK with numbers the highest they’ve been since the 1930’s. The demand for aromatic beers full of flavour that are still able to hold their...

Taking dairy farm produce to the next level – Tom Parker Creamery

With fluctuating milk prices resulting in uncertain returns for many dairy farmers, July 2017 saw Jack Martin launch a new business, Tom Parker Creamery, to help spread risk and improve financial return. Jack’s ‘can do’ attitude and self-motivation...

Staying one step ahead of the competition – Hillfarm Oils Rape Seed Oil

When the Fairs family bottled their first batch of cold pressed rapeseed oil in 2004 they never envisaged that over a decade later they would be producing 520,000 litres and hillfarm oils would be a growing household name. We hear from marketing...

Quickfire questions with founder of The Great British Porridge Company

Jacqueline Barleycorn founded The Great British Porridge Company in December 2017 after realising a gap in the market for natural, instant porridge. Here she gives us her top business tips and words of wisdom learnt on her business journey so far. ...

Healthy Eating Inspires Successful Food Business – The Great British Porridge Company

For Jacqueline Barleycorn, embracing the usual pastimes of retirement wasn’t something she wanted to confine herself to. Instead, she embarked on a new business venture, navigating the world of healthy breakfast options with the birth of The Great...

Free-range camping anyone?

The purchase of 28 acres by Jules and Sandra Sayer in 2002 now sees over 16,000 campers visit Petruth Paddocks each year. Located at the foot of the Mendip Hills in north Somerset the ‘free-range,’ family-run campsite Jules and his team has created...

Industry experience leads to successful home-based business

Having worked in several industries in various roles, the exposure and knowledge gained during these years has allowed Sarah Liddle to set up her own virtual assistant (VA) business, The Lady in the Shed, from her smallholding on the...

Family biodegradable confetti business leads UK market

Having gone from a traditional family farming business to one of the leading biodegradable confetti producers in the UK, we hear from Shropshire Petals Marketing Manager Ashley Corrigan how the business has gone from strength to strength. To start...

A story of heritage inspires wool business

The inspiration of a Great-Great Grandmother who had a clear passion for livestock farming has seen Paula Steer and her son Lewis build on this heritage to create their own successful rural business ‘from the land.’ Having come to a cross road in...

Sheep Farming to Goat Farming – is it feasible?

An inquisitive mind and a noticeable growing demand for the end-product led Chris Dickinson to start his own goat meat business from the mixed family farm in Penrith, Cumbria. Having grown up with goats at home, it was no surprise to his family...

Going self-employed – epiphany moment triggers journey in rural tourism

With a recent survey revealing that 11% of the British population plan to start their own business in 2018 stating a better work-life balance and wanting to choose the type of work they do being the driving forces behind this, we hear from PR...

Quickfire Questions with Charles Gulland, Founder of Franchise Business, Wigwam Holidays

Founder of the UK’s leading glamping franchise business, Charles Gulland, explains what it’s like juggling family life with owning and running the successful business Wigwam® Holidays. What are your strengths and personal attributes? Being...

Research project to model franchise business - WigWam® Holidays

What started as a research project at college has turned into a market leading glamping franchise business, which sees thousands of holidaymakers visit Wigwam® Holiday sites each year. After escaping a career in accountancy, Charles Gulland,...

Quickfire questions with Maddocks Farm Organics

Founder of the British edible flower business, Jan Billington, gives us her advice and tips on what it’s like to be a rural business owner. What does it take to be a successful business owner? You need to be adaptable. You also need to be...

Flexibility in business ensures organic business succeeds

The desire to start an organic business drove Jan Billington to move her young family from London to South West England in 2002. But needless to say, what they were going to do when they got there and how they were going to make it work were...

Business tips from multiple business owner, Heather Gorringe

Owner of Wiggly Wigglers and The Great British Florist, Heather Gorringe, gives us some tips on running a successful business from customer care to useful online tools. What would be your three pieces of advice for anyone starting a rural...

British Rural Business Bounces Back After Recession – The Great British Florist

For Heather Gorringe, the recession of 2007 yielded the most unlikely of outcomes, but not without great hardship and a steep learning curve along the way. Where it all started Heather and her husband, ‘Famer Phil,’ farm 650-acres on the Duchy...

Couple diversify family farm to ‘his and her’ projects

For Ted and Jackie Howard-Jones inheriting the family farm in 2005 provided the opportunity to capitalise on its stunning location and practical facilities to establish multiple business ventures. Nestled in the heart of the Chilterns in...

On-farm specialist Pilates studio open for business

A working organic farm, in the heart of the Worcestershire countryside, has seen Liz Carlyle pursue her ambition of establishing her own specialist Pilates and treatment studio. Home to Liz’s family for nearly 100 years, Phepson Farm is no stranger...

Quickfire questions with Liz Carlyle - The Farm Studio

The Farm Studio opened in May 2017. We asked owner of the specialist Pilates and soft tissue therapy unit, Liz Carlyle, some quickfire questions about her and the business. What do you believe to be the most important personal attributes of being...

Extensive research pays dividends for rural cookery school

Having experienced the London life as a graduate, Clare Major moved backed to her roots on the Staffordshire, Derbyshire border to start her own food business journey. Eight years later, Clare has established her own very successful cookery...

Glamping Business Inspired by Global Travel

An idyllic spot on the English Welsh border now plays home to the glamping, camping and event business, Barnutopia after Steve and Katrina Boydon took on the full-time project in 2015. Having worked abroad for 20 years, and most recently lived in...

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