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 assistant, Sophie Lawson, on how the business has developed over the years and how they have become one of the key players in what has become a very competitive market.

In the beginning

The story began in 2004 when Sam Fairs wanted to explore alternative options for the rapeseed coming off the farm. “At the time, no one in the country was pressing their own rapeseed oil and Sam wanted to explore the opportunity of doing this himself as opposed to selling the seed onto large-scale refineries,” says Sophie.

The family set to in doing their research, pressing their own rapeseed in small quantities, bottling and labelling it all themselves and taking it to local shows and farmers markets to test the water.


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“The oil attracted a lot of interest at the shows. Its rich yellow colour coupled with its significant health benefits was appealing to those who had not seen anything like it before.

“As the orders started to come in, the family realised they had a potential business and from this moment it took off.

“Starting at a local level, the business is now supplying supermarkets nationally and is pressing the maximum capacity of rapeseed possible.”

What makes cold pressed rapeseed oil so different?

The extraction process of the oils from the seed is what makes cold pressed rapeseed oil different from other oils, and ensures it retains its colour, taste and nutritional value.

Sophie explains that at hillfarm where the processing of their oils happens, seeds are pressed at ambient temperatures through a specialist screw press which gently squeezes out 65% of the available oil.

“In the big industrial refineries, the oil is extracted by a process called hexane extraction which uses very high temperatures and involves deodorising and bleaching the product. This process damages the vitamins and anti-oxidants in the oil which then have to be added back in.

“The process we use means we aren’t affecting the original properties. The residue is ground up and used for pig meal as it’s very high in protein, ensuring we are efficient and adding value to the waste we are producing.”

Standing out from the crowd

The Fairs family were the first in the UK to grow, press and bottle their own rapeseed oil straight from the farm. But since starting the business, many others have also entered the market.


See also: Does my business need a USP?


“It has become a very busy market and we’ve therefore had to keep evolving our product lines and think of different ways we can stay one step ahead of the competition and stand out from the crowd,” explains Sophie.

“We grow a specific variation of rapeseed which gives hillfarm oil its original and unique nutty taste. This in itself makes it difficult for our competitors to copy our exact products and has led to us being exclusively awarded a two-star Great Taste Award.

“We are very lucky in the fact that we have a great heritage story behind us. People love the fact we are a family business and that the oil is grown, processed and bottled at one farm. It’s this story that has allowed us to build a following which we can target and engage with in so many different ways.”


See also: Keeping your food and drink business legal


Developing the product range is also something that ensures they keep in front of their audience and helps to differentiate them from the competition. “We not only have the rapeseed oil but also runny and set honey from the bees on the farm, a range of flavoured mayonnaises, salad cream, and cosmetics which is an area we are looking to expand.

“Product development is an on-going process and we are constantly looking for new opportunities. Customer feedback is a valuable tool in developing existing products as well as helping us to come up with new ideas, and a lot of what we do is trial and error.

“We are fortunate that the family is very open to ideas and understanding of the fact that not every idea is going to evolve into a product that gets to market.”

Sophie explains that changing the design of the bottle lids to coincide with the seasons or various occasions, such as the Queens Jubilee or Remembrance Sunday, has been something they have introduced to support their marketing campaigns alongside point of sale promotion through the use of bottleneck hangers.

“Our marketing campaigns are as much about pushing our brand as they are about educating people about the health and nutritional benefits of cold pressed rapeseed oil. Neither of these happen overnight, and it’s a constant learning curve to ensure we’re making the most of the opportunities that arise.

“We are a business that has come a long way over the years but still retains its original values and ethos.”

For more information visit their website or follow hillfarm oils on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

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