Farm Shop Business Magazine

Local

Provenance

International

Appeal.

Read about

Lost Loch

Spirits on

page 18

Q&A with the

Trading Post

Farm Shop and

Hall Farm shop

See pages 20 & 32

Crafting Cider in the Yorkshire wolds

See page 28

The unique and

unforgettable taste of

Northumberland

NORTHUMBERLAND SPIRIT COMPANY BLACKSMITH’S HALL, ROCK, ALNWICK, NORTHUMBERLAND NE66 3SB

www.northumberlandspirit.co.uk

Contents

P.4 // Zest

P.7 // Perkins & Morley

P.8 // Candy Kisses

P.8 // RoniB’s Kitchen

P.10 // The Tiny Takeaway

P.10 // Ginger Beards

P.12-13 // Welsh Sisters

Welcome

To issue 2 of Farm Shop

Business magazine

n I would firstly like to offer thanks to all those who

have supported the magazine so far this year, both

within the magazine and also upon Social Media. I have

had some fantastic conversations, visits to Farm Shops

and Garden Centres and engrossed myself within the

industry. The plethora of products and services, from

artisanal products from small independents, to the

shrubs and trees, pet products, architectural products,

food and drink and many other produce and services,

encourages me that there will always be editorial and

newsworthy content.

Many of the companies you will see advertising,

profiled or mentioned in this issue started out as Craft

artisanal companies, many still are, and all sit beautifully

within the ethos of Farm Shops and Garden centres and

Delis up and down the country.

I wish you all a good summer, many glorious sunny

days, and hope to continue meeting many of you

throughout the year. As I have mentioned upon social

Media, we are always on the look out for newsworthy,

unique editorial from this sector, and will continue to

expand and reach out to as many companies that serve

Farm Shops, Garden centres and Delicatessens.

I hope you enjoy this issue.

Chris I Editor

P.14 // Blackford Craft Distillery Ltd

P.16 // Stockport Gin

P.17 // PEPPUP

P.18-19 // Editors Choice Lost Loch Spirits

P.20-22 // Q&A Trading Post Farm Shop

P.23 // Langham Brewery

P.24 // Five Fathoms

P.26-27 // Mr Hobbs

P.28-30 // Colemans Cider

P.32-34 // Q&A Hall Farm Shop

Hall Farm Shop

FARM SHOP BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Chris Keightley I Editor I chris@craftbeermag.co.uk I 07818 711387

Sharon Larder I Designer I inthedoghousedesign@gmail.com

Published by Farm Shop Business I Harwich I Essex

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without

the express permission of the editor or the publisher.

FARM SHOP BUSINESS MAGAZINE 3

ZEST

A

fter almost three years of

being in business, our ethos

has come into sharper focus

and, satisfyingly, remains

very similar to the one we started out

with. We wanted to create a business

with sustainability and responsibility

at its core, with an aim to eliminate

single use plastic, to leave as small a

footprint as possible. Put simply:

Organically grown fruit, handled

with respect, packed into sustainable

packaging. We now have almost zero

single-use plastic in our entire process,

our packaging is recycled, recyclable

or compostable – even our gorgeous

little crystal-clear pick n mix bags. Plus,

our lovely fruit suppliers take the bulk

packaging back for re-using or recycling.

The fruit is simply washed, sliced and

dehydrated, using heated air, not the

industrial style freeze drying. Maybe

we don’t always get the most perfect

results; but Not Quite Perfect has to be

better than fast deep freezing, vacuum

drying and then secondary drying. Or

something. It sounds all a bit of a faff to

me and very intensive for a simple slice

of fruit or a berry.

We may not be as perfect as some, but

our customers seem happy:

“The Zest Co.’s garnishes are truly

gorgeous! From the moment of opening

the box and seeing each packet

beautifully wrapped, to the perfect fruit

and flowers inside. We have just ordered

a large box to make sure we never run

out and our drinks are always looking

extra lovely.” Gemma, Hertfordshire

“I emailed Sarah from TheZestCo on

Sunday night to enquire about 100g bags

of fruit to fill my jars. She responded

straight away with a price list, so I

placed my first order. They arrived super

quick. I was delighted with them. The

aroma of beautiful citrus fruit when I

opened the bag was delightful and there

was so much in the bag, I couldn’t believe

it. From start to finish the customer

service has been fantastic and the

product is excellent. It may have been

my first purchase but certainly won’t be

my last. I would recommend to anybody.”

Veronica, Scotland

“Just received my order of citrus, lime,

clementine and Raspberry dried fruit.

They were packed well and looked

gorgeous. They will go perfect with

either a G&T or a cocktail. Also was

nice to have a free surprise of the

love heart sweets. Will definitely be

ordering more in the future. Thank

you.” Jacqueline, Middlesex

“Brilliant product, service and amazing

owner. Has made serving drinks at The

Dog House feel much easier and more

professional as well as greatly reducing

waste costs. Five stars Thank you.”

Claire, Kent

Moving forward we continue to

increase our offering. We are currently

looking at Pomelo, Mango and

Rhubarb, but consistently acceptable

results are still eluding us, until we

have that nailed down and organic

supply lines sorted, they will all have

to remain in R & D.

In the meantime, if you are looking

for less waste, less mess and less fuss

for your pub, club or bar take a look

at www.thezest.co.uk Ideal for short

on space mobile bars. Plus, bespoke

mixes curated for subscription gin,

spirit and alcohol-free boxes and gift

hampers, retail packs available with

ultra-low MOQs and of course home

bars and events.

E: thezestco.ltd@gmail.com

4 FARM SHOP BUSINESS MAGAZINE

For Trade and Distribution

enquiries please contact

sales@ghqspirits.com

www.ghqspirits.com

Perkins & Morley

P

erkins & Morley (Jill Perkins and

Jan Morley) is an established British

design house making original,

design-led, greetings cards, artisan gifts

and products for the home, all of which

they are proud to say are made in the UK.

Jan says of their brand “Perkins

& Morley really is an extension of

ourselves! Our love of the countryside,

our joy in creating art and our passion

for having everything British Made and

working with talented UK creators.

Our designs are very much based

around the UK’s wildlife - we love

what it has to offer! Not only does the

UK give us beautiful scenery and an

immense variety of birds and animals;

but there are talented craftspeople we

can work with to make our products.

We are proud to say we design and

make everything in the UK.

Every product type is explored when

we launch a new collection - cards,

coasters, key rings, mugs, prints,

magnets, tea towels, gift wrap, tablemats

and chopping boards - the list grows!

For more details visit:

https://perkinsandmorley.com


Candy Kisses

Our aim ...to own a Greeting

Card and Gift Wrap store

that delivers an amazing

experience beginning with your

first step through the door, because

Candy Kisses is so much more than a

business to us.

We share a passion for creativity

and beautiful things which we hope

is evident throughout the store. We

love everything we sell and we hope

you will too!

An online, mainly paper based

store we are forever aware of our

environmental impact, therefore,

working with a web host who is

signed up to reforestation and

carbon offsetting projects, we love

that four trees are planted on our

behalf every month!

With the majority of our award

winning gift wrap and greeting cards,

(designed by exceptional artists and

graphic designers) being created

using FSC paper and recycled coffee

cups, we hope we’re doing our bit!

Almost forgot... We also offer a

handwritten message service!

W: https://candykisses.uk

T: 07566 810071

RoniB’s Kitchen

R

oniB’s Kitchen is a small artisan

producer championing Philippine

flavours through our sauces,

chilli products, and preserves. Based

in Walton on Thames, we are a Great

Taste Producer with, so far, three of our

products awarded Great Taste Stars.

Our products are based on the

family recipes of founder, Roni

Bandong, who aims to share the

bold and complex flavours of her

native cuisine. All are natural and

free from artificial flavouring,

colourings, and preservatives.

Made with British and premium

Southeast Asian ingredients, each

product is designed for fuss-free cooking

packed with flavour. Perfect for busy

people and culinary flavour hunters.

W: www.ronibkitchen.co.uk

E: sales@ronibkitchen.co.uk

T: 07474 891 166


Welcome to the Wonderful World of

wardingtons.com

@wardingtonsoriginal

ludlowgin.co.uk

@ludlowdrygin


The Tiny Takeaway

M

arina McGreal of The Tiny

Takeaway, has invested time

and devotion to source the

exact quality ingredients that will

create a truly Authentic Curry.

The range of ten delicious hand

produced recipes have been created to

be “simply the best” and like nothing

you have ever tried before.

Each bag contains a straightforward

shopping list and easy step-by-step

recipe. Making a delicious Curry is

simple there’s no grinding, no grating, no

crushing… it’s all in the bag ready to go.

You can make a meat, fish or

vegetarian curry serving between 3 and

4 people in no time at all. A delicious

dining experience is guaranteed.

The Tiny Takeaway has something

for you, from a Mild Korma, to a

tasty Masala or a spicy Madras.

There are also spice blends to cook

flavoursome sides too.

MY RANGE:

Korma, Bhuna,

Rogan Josh, Dopiaza,

Masala, Korai, Madras,

Jalfrezi, Spicy Rice,

Spicy Tatties

W: www.thetinytakeaway.com I E: Curry@thetinytakeaway.com I T: 07882 313 809

FB: www.facebook.com/tinytakeaway I TW: https://twitter.com/tinytakeaway I

Insta: www.instagram.com/thetinytakeaway/

Ginger Beards Preserves

G

inger beards preserves have

released their new Orange

and Ghost pepper marmalade,

a super limited edition for Chilli

fans among you. This is a superhot

version of their original Seville

orange Marmalade.

NO MESSING AROUND - FOR

CHILLI HEADS ONLY!

The marmalade will be manufactured

once a year and only in small batches.

An exclusive release of the product was

done at Eastnor Chilli fest 2022.

This new offering can be best

enjoyed with sausages, cheese boards,

or straight up on a slice of toast for

the more daring of you if you need a

kickstart to your day.

The product is available on mix and

match 3 for £10 offer.

W: www.gingerbeardspreserves.co.uk


SINGULAR SERIES

Small Batch Creations

EENOO

Scottish Gin

HAROOSH

Whisky Liqueur

MURMICHAN

Scottish Absinthe

CONNECT WITH US

Free UK shipping on all orders.

MOQ 1 x case (6 Bottles).

Mixed cases available.

@lostlochspirits

Email info@lostloch.com

www.lostlochspirits.com

THE LIQUEUR MASTERS

THE

THE

THE SPECIALITY MASTERS

THE GIN MASTERS

THE

MASTER

2020

The place, the process, the spirits

The Welsh Sisters

Gin Company

H

ailing from New

Quay West Wales are

Welsh Sisters, a family

company producing a

range of award-winning

contemporary Welsh gin. Using bold

and unconventional botanicals to

tell the story of the women who’ve

always played a huge part in Welsh

coastal communities

The Welsh Sisters story starts

with two sisters (Becky and Tania)

who were born in Cardiff and raised

on the coast. both inherited their

dad’s passion for the sea whether

they liked it or not! Fortunately, they

did, and have never really left. Their

father was a captain of square-riggers

and windjammers in the West Indies,

while their mother is the descendent

of the Kidwelly ‘wreckers’. (Wrecking

being the art of looting shipwrecks.)

Their gins include:

MORWYN

Awarded Best Contemporary Welsh

Gin at the World Gin Awards 2020.

This award winning contemporary

dry gin has the spicy notes of Juniper

mingled with the carefully sourced

botanicals of Angelica, Sage and

Gorse flowers all encompassed by the

sparkling zest of Grapefruit. Morwyn

tells the tale of a powerful sea

goddess who blew up a tidal wave in

Cardigan Bay in a jealous rage.

THE CAPTAIN'S WIFE

Received the Bronze Gin and Tonic

award at the International Wine and

Spirits Awards 2020.

This very smooth artisan gin holds

the spice of Juniper berries alongside

the dried fruit notes of Pomegranate

and Fig. Yerba Mate tea lends

greenery to the lingering warmth of

every sip. The Captain's Wife tells the

tale of the brave women who sailed

the deep oceans.

PORTSIDE

This special edition of The Captain's

Wife Portside is 'kissed by the cask'.

The Captain's Wife dry gin has been

imbued with ruby red Port whilst

resting in Spanish Port oak barrels.

This very special luscious recipe tells

the tale of the women who sailed the

deep oceans and pulled into ports

around the world to celebrate with

their other sea sisters.

All can be purchased from their

charming ‘Emporium on the Hill’ in

New Quay Manchester house – which

is an old draper’s shop – at the top of

the cliff perched village.

Manchester House is rumoured to

have been the shop that the Welsh

poet Dylan Thomas used as an

inspiration for the draper’s shop in

the village of Llareggub in his play

for voices - ‘Under Milk Wood’. Mr

Mog Edwards is “a draper mad with

love” eternally for Miss Myfanwy Price

who lives at the bottom of the hill, to

whom he writes love letters and who

he never meets.


The Welsh Sisters story...

Tania and Becky

“We inherited our dad’s obsession

with the sea whether we liked it

or not …. and fortuntely we did

like it! We were always fascinated

by stories of women and the

sea as we grew up and loved the idea of

linking our gin to the tales of brave and

adventurous women.

We use boldly unconventional

botanicals to tell the story of the women

who’ve always played a huge part in

Welsh coastal communities. We produce

small-batch dry gin, handcrafted from a

coastal distillery in West Wales and are

based in New Quay, a small seaside town

with a rich maritime history.

Our passion for the sea means that

we also support Whale and Dolphin

Conservation (WDC) with every bottle

sold. WDC protects whales and dolphins

around the world - including our very

own local dolphins here in New Quay,

Ceredigion - and advocate for plasticfree

seas, a cause close to our hearts. Our

bottles and bottle tops are recyclable,

and we are working to ensure all our

packaging is plastic-free.”

Welsh Sisters have a shop in New

Quay, Manchester House where

they stock Welsh Sisters Gins, other

Welsh Spirits, Da Mhille vodkas and

Bartu Ddu rum from West Wales, and

products especially curated to tell

stories of women and their connection

to the sea and to their land.

They stock recycled ceramic and

silver jewelry by Kimmi (South Wales)

and Rosa Lee (New Quay) and amazing

local producers of t-shirts and sea life

castings from Life Forms Art (Llanarth).

Plus many books from Welsh Authors

such as Dylan Thomas, Dan Jones

and Jackie Morris along with books on

Wales and the local environment.

Visit them at Manchester House,

Margaret St, New Quay or online at

www.welshsisters.com or follow on

instagram @welshsisters


BLACKFORD

CRAFT

DISTILLERY LTD

Crooked Mary

Under cover of darkness in

December 1798, the infamous

smuggling ship ‘Crooked Mary’

slipped silently toward the

myriad caves of Aberdeenshire’s

North East coast. Landing at

Collieston, it’s bounty of gin

was buried awaiting collection

from the notorious smuggler’s,

the Kennedy brothers. Alas,

seized by the crown, a violent

confrontation occurred, resulting

the murder of Philip Kennedy

by an exciseman, both ship and

life were lost that night, but the

legend lives on…

Taking its flavour profile from the

wild berries which grow here at

Maryfield, Crooked Mary Gin is

distilled with Scottish raspberries

and strawberries, oats and pink

peppercorns. A full bodied,

refreshing gin, Crooked Mary is

juniper-led with a burst of soft

berries. A rich and creamy texture

is balanced by citrus and a hint of

pepper spice at the finish. Serve

with Fevertree Mediterranean Tonic

Water and frozen strawberries.

www.blackfordcraftdistillery.co.uk

Summer Gin Fizz

50ml Crooked Mary Gin

25ml lime juice

12.5ml sugar syrup

Handful of raspberries, strawberries and/or blackberries

Premium tonic

Muddle the berries and sugar syrup in a cocktail shaker. Measure gin and

lime juice into a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake.

Strain into a highball glass with ice and top with premium tonic. Garnish

with a slice of lemon. Serve and enjoy!


UNIQUE TASTING GIN FROM THE LAKES

sales@wolftown.uk wolftown.uk

07887 562597


News

STOCKPORT GIN’S TWIST OF

LIME EDITION NAMED BEST

GIN IN BRITAIN

n

Stockport Gin’s Twist of Lime

Edition Gin has been named

Best in England and Best in Britain at

The Gin Guide Awards 2022.

Having been named a winner of

the Traditional Gin Under 42% ABV

category for the 3rd consecutive

year, the gin, made by Paul and

Cheryl Sharrocks at their town

centre distillery, has gone on to

impress a larger judging panel than

previous years, including a host of

new judges, to be crowned ‘Best in

Britain 2022’.

This year’s awards had the highest

number of entries from Britain to

date but Stockport Gin achieved

exceptional scores from every judge

to receive the accolade of being able

to claim being the best of them all.

Cheryl says: “We are absolutely

delighted, and a bit in shock, to be told

that we produce the best gin in Britain!

Just knowing that people love our gins

makes everything we do worthwhile.”

As well as the awards for their

Twist of Lime Gin, their Sustainable

Edition was also crowned a winner

in the same category and their Pink

Grapefruit & Pink Peppercorn Edition

was Highly Commended in the

Flavoured Gin category.

THE GIN GUIDE AWARDS

Now in its 6th year, The Gin

Guide Awards is an independent,

celebration of the historic,

diverse and growing worldwide

gin industry. Recognised and

respected globally by the trade and

consumers alike for its rigorous

and quality-focused approach and

industry-leading judging panels,

The Gin Guide Awards serves to

highlight the exceptional products,

distilleries and people within the

gin industry across the world.

Keep an eye out for 2022 Winners

and past Winners displaying their

Awards proudly on their bottles,

packaging, exhibition stands and

marketing materials.

The full list of Winners, Highly

Commended gins and Best in

Country/Continent Awards are

available at:

http://www.theginguide.

com/2022-winners

Paul Says: “This is the 3rd

consecutive year our gins have won

awards at The Gin Guide Awards,

and the 2nd in a row where multiple

gins have won, but to be crowned

Best in Britain is incredible.”

Stockport Gin’s Twist of Lime Edition

is a London Dry Gin that they distil with

fresh lime peel to give a wonderful, crisp,

zesty citrus gin. It started life as a limited

edition gin but grew in popularity so

they continued to make it.

W: www.stockport-gin.com

FB: Facebook.com/stockportginltd

TW/INSTA: @stockportgin


PEPPUP

Healthy, nutritious and delicious

sauces to PEPPUP all your

family meals

Nutritionist Dr Luca Montorio (ANutr),

founder of PEPPUP Ltd in 2015, Northern

Ireland creates authentic Italian

condiments all based around the fantastic

flavour of roasted peppers for all the family to enjoy.

Luca a home cook from Turin Italy loves to create

in his kitchen new innovative healthy sauces, with no

added sugar, fat free, no allergens, 100% natural and

plant based. A wide range of everyday sauces for a

speedy homemade family meal are available such as

Bolognese, pasta, pizza and salad dressing.

New products are constantly being created in

Luca’s kitchen to give more healthy choices to

families, such as a new red pesto a further extension

of the small company’s successful portfolio of 15

– strong range of products in line with PEPPUP’s

longstanding focus on healthy eating foods especially

for home cooks.

The award-winning products of Great Taste and

Free From Ireland awards are available at delis, family

butchers and independent grocers in Northern Ireland

and in the Republic of Ireland, online and by email.

Web: www.peppup.com

Social Media: @PEPPUPsauce

SKY WAVE GIN

FROM THE HOME OF THE

WORLD’S BEST CONTEMPORARY GIN

FREE

Double Measure

of Liberation

London Dry Gin

with every

order.*

First choice

for farm shops

everywhere.

WHOLESALE/ RETAIL ENQUIRIES: SKYWAVEGIN.COM

EMAIL: INFO@SKYWAVEGIN.COM

*Just quote “Farm Shop Business.”


Editor’s

Choice

LOST LOCH

SPIRITS LTD

Lost Loch Spirits Ltd was

founded in 2017 by friends

Peter Dignan and Rich

Pierce, like many ideas

and best plans over a few drinks

together in the local.

The ethos of this business was

to ensure that they produced the

best possible spirits using their

natural surroundings, foraging

for botanicals, respecting nature,

and ensuring they kept their

Carbon footprint to a minimum,

they have achieved this by using

a percentage of heat and power

from solar energy a biomass boiler

and a wind turbine, respecting

the environment and being

transparent in their business

model has certainly been a part of

why this business is a success.

Inspiration is all around in

the beautiful surrounding of

Royal Deeside and lost Loch have

certainly tapped into this in all

they do, taking inspiration from

its history and provenance

to produce quality and

innovatively creative spirits.

Their branding is eye catching

from the eenoo Gin with its striking

motif and back story of adventure

and courage by an Inuit called Eenoo

and his unusual visit to Scotland on

his whaling ship Neptune, Eenoo

spent his time in Aberdeenshire

learning our western ways and

teaching his Inuit skills to the locals

which included showing his Qajaq

(canoe) skills on the River Dee.

In April 1840 Eenoo joined

the Bon Accord, a whaling ship

returning to Baffin Island. After

stops in Greenland he guided the

vessel into the Cumberland Sound

and was part responsible for its

rediscovery by Europeans. Eenoo

returned to his homeland in 1840

but died in 1847 leaving a son

Angalook, remembering history and

using this as inspiration to create

a spirit that is remembered and


enjoyed is a prerequisite to their

successful journey, each product is

innovative creative with a touch of

nostalgia and always embraces the

natural produce available from

their surroundings ensuring the

cycle of nature to finished

product is seamless.

With the experience of

running a successful

small batch

distillery the

duo have

opened a

spirits

school and a Micro tour and

tastings session, where you are able

to see the operation for yourself,

sample the spirits, and enjoy an

instructive and well put together

presentation of a fully functioning

and award winning distillery. They

also operate as contract distillers

for commercial production and will

assist from conception to the bottle

and all in-between.

Lost Loch spirits are undoubtedly

a company with unique spirits

whose place in Spirit production in

Royal Deeside is cemented.


Q & A

with Trading

Post Farm Shop


WHAT IS THE HISTORY BEHIND

THE FARM SHOP?

The Trading Post Farm Shop is on the

site of an old filling station, but when

the A303 bypass was built over 20

years ago the filling station was no

longer needed and the site was sold to

two organic farmers.

I joined their team back in 2008, and

then after 9 years of working as shop

assistant, I bought the Trading Post

from them when they retired.

We have extended the shop massively

both in size and content over the past

five years, including adding a zero waste

refill room, a milk vending machine, a

west country cheese deli, a handmade

chocolate deli, a garden centre, and last

Christmas we added two large marquees

to house all our additional stock!

DOES THE FARM SHOP HAVE A

DELI COUNTER?

It does and we specialize in west

country cheeses – with a few guest

cheeses from elsewhere in the UK

HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT

SOURCING PRODUCTS FOR THE

FARM SHOP?

If I see and and I like it… I buy it!

Whether it’s meeting suppliers

at trade fairs, flicking through a

catalogue, being approached by a new

supplier or chatting to customers. a


WHAT CHANGES, IF ANY,

DID YOU MAKE DURING THE

PANDEMIC?

We closed the doors to walk in

customers initially after asking our

staff what they felt comfortable

doing. We started doing delivery and

contactless collection service and

we still continue to deliver through

the community each week.

ARE YOUR CUSTOMERS MAINLY

LOCAL OR DO THEY COME FROM

FURTHER AFIELD?

Predominantly local but we are

just off the A303 in Somerset so on

the route through the westcountry.

We get a lot of holiday traffic and

people use us time and time again

as their first stop on holiday to get

all their holiday treats.

Kate Forbes, Trading Post Farm

Shop, Lopenhead, Somerset

TA13 5JH

W: www.tradingpostfarmshop.co.uk

FB: www.facebook.com/

tradingpostfarmshop

Insta: www.instagram.com/

tradingpostfarmshop

T: 01460 241 666


Langham

Brewery

M

any of you will know that

award-winning Langham

Brewery offers a delicious

range of fresh keg beer,

cask conditioned real ale, bottles and

cans, which are lovingly brewed at

their award-winning microbrewery

in West Sussex, in the South Downs

National Park. The brewery taproom

is the perfect destination experience;

walkers, cyclists, hikers and daytrippers

are all warmly welcomed.

At the beginning of 2022, the

brewery introduced a new canning

range, with two of their most popular

brews - Lodsteiner and Arapaho - the

first to be available in cans.

And in the last week they introduced

a third beer to the new canning range:

their New England IPA, Rocket Juice.

Rocket Juice - 6% - is a super-hoppy,

tootie-fruity, luscious, mouth-watering

New England IPA. True to its style,

this beer is cloudy, delicious, dense

and intense. Flavoursome fruitiness is

boosted by a thick, smooth mouthfeel.

The beer carries the right amount of

sweetness, and a smack in the chops

from fresh hops!

Why a new canning range?

Lesley Foulkes, co-owner of the

brewery explains, “We're hoping you

all love our new canning range as

much as we do. Our lovingly created

cans enable greater flexibility in

production, are more environmentally

friendly than some of our current

processes and will help keep us in

line with our ethos and initiatives to

operate more sustainably.”

Lesley also notes that cans are

perceived as more contemporary;

marketable and desirable to the craft

beer consumer. “Canned beer is now

an acceptable alternative to bottles.

Previously there was some resistance

in the market due to perceived

'tinniness', but times have moved on.

As our canning happens ‘in house’ (or

’in barn’ in our case!), we are able to

closely control quality standards in

line with our SALSA accreditation.

The environmental impact of canning

is an important choice for Langham

Brewery - they are proud of their

environmental mission, which they are

consistently looking to improve and

develop. Lesley clarifies, “cans are lighter

so are less costly to transport, easily

recyclable (can be crushed and therefore

more fit into a recycling bin) and

over their lifetime are arguably more

environmentally friendly than bottles.”

All those who have tried the beers

in the canning range have given them

overwhelming support. You can find the

canning range at the Brewery Taproom

and Shop, which are open 6 days a week,

as well as at many local hostelries, delis

and farm shops. Do join the Langham

Gulp Club to receive brewery discounts.

W: langhambrewery.co.uk

Social media: @langhambrewery


Five Fathoms

W

hen I first set up

Five Fathoms it was

important to me that

the design quality of

the bottle reflected the quality of the

product within. I worked with a Hull

based design agency who helped me

bring the maritime elements together in

a beautiful blue bottle. The design gave

Humber Dry Gin its identity and firmly

placed it in the hearts of people living

on both sides of the Humber Estuary.

As time moved on and priorities

changed it became clear that I should

rethink the way my products were

branded. Colouring glass and screen

printing has a terrible carbon footprint.

Once coloured, the glass can no longer be

recycled, the infinite potential of glass to

be turned into more glass is effectively

ended at that point. This is unsustainable

and we couldn't continue with it.

I began the search for a more

ecological design and a less heavy

carbon footprint. What I stumbled

upon was Wild Glass, a 100% postconsumer

recycled glass. With its

beautiful green hue and its unique

character, with air bubbles caught

within the glass, each bottle is as

individual as its name suggests.

It was important to keep elements

of the original design, maintaining

some continuity rather than going for a

complete rebrand. Changing from screen

printing onto glass, to printed paper

labels also provided an opportunity to

play around with colours and textures

which have added a new dimension.

I’ve also moved away from the wood

top plastic cork as a closure. They

can’t be recycled and all end up in

landfill. Our new cap is aluminium

and can be placed in the recycling bin.

The move towards ecological

sustainability is inevitable for any

brand with longevity, whilst it’s not

always easy, especially for a small

producer, it is well worth the effort to

have a positive impact.

www.fivefathoms.co.uk


Mr Hobbs

Gin Liqueurs

A

s a publisher I am always

looking to expand my

knowledge of produce

and products I wouldn’t

normally associate with.

Suzy Hobbs, managing Director of

Mr Hobbs Gins, sent me a beautifully

gift wrapped trio of Fruit flavoured

Gin Liqueurs to try. Now, for me, I have

always associated liqueur with a syrup

based, overly sweet drink and like

many, may have received this type of

liqueur as a gift that then sat gathering

dust at the back of a drinks cabinet.

From my experience I have always

followed the producers tasting notes

or dish and preparation notes to the

book, and so I made a couple of cocktails

using summer fruits, simple tonics and

with prosecco, the Raspberry and

Elderflower liqueur was a perfect

match with a few cubes of ice. Both

flavours were present and the drink was

enjoyable as any I have had in the sun.

They also produce a Rhubarb and

Ginger liqueur, again this liqueur

worked well with prosecco with

warming Ginger notes and personally

was my favourite when added to

Ginger beer.

Finally the Spiced Plum Liqueur,

which I have decided to review

closer to Christmas for Mr Hobbs

Gin as I think the season will befit

the liqueur.

In conclusion, I think my initial

thoughts on liqueurs were put to bed

by the Mr Hobbs Gin range. These are

exceptional liqueurs which I would be

delighted to receive as a gift. I would

urge Farm Shops and Garden centres

up and down the country to stock

them - certainly during spring and

summer - as a refreshing alternative.

www.mrhobbsgin.co.uk


The Perfect Serve

British Raspberry & Elderflower liqueur

l Mr Hobbs suggests 40ml of this beautiful, British Raspberry & Elderflower liqueur

should be poured onto ice cubes in a tall, cold glass and topped with light tonic. Or if

the mood so takes you, pop a 35ml measure into a champagne flute and filled with

prosecco for a nice, bubbly treat. To garnish either, pop in a few fresh raspberries

and a sprig of garden mint to complete the ultimate fruity yet refreshing tipple.

Rhubarb & Ginger liqueur

l Mr Hobbs suggests 40ml of perfectly balanced Rhubarb & Ginger liqueur is

combined with ice cubes and a premium ginger ale in a tall, cold glass. Equally

enjoyable, if you prefer, would be 35ml in a champagne flute and simply fill to the

brim with prosecco. To garnish either, you could add a stick of rhubarb if the season

allows or simply place a twist of lemon citrus zest atop for an instant classic cocktail.

Background to the business

Hobbs is a Henley institution, as

inextricably linked with the genteel

Oxfordshire town as the world-famous

Royal Regatta. Established by H.E.

(Harry) Hobbs in 1870, it is a family

business through and through.

The present Managing Director,

Jonathan Hobbs, is the great, great

grandson of the founder. Indeed the

Hobbs family doesn’t do things by half,

being able to trace its ancestry through

the direct male line back to 1490 –

another Harry Hobbs of Hambleden!

Hobbs of Henley’s first base was in

Wharfe Lane, at the town’s original

riverside wharfe, but a move to new

premises in Station Road followed in

1898. The company is still there today.

Business boomed, pleasure boating on

the Thames thrived and further boatyards

were acquired at Goring and Shiplake.

Hobbs of Henley now boasts the largest

hire fleet on the River Thames, owning

over 60 boats which range from rowing

boats to luxury passenger vessels. With

150 years of boating experience, the 5th

generation family business is still thriving.

Jonnie and Suzy started by launching

a new premium gin in 2017 to play their

part in the remarkable renaissance in

British gin. Distilled from only the most

refined ingredients, Mr Hobbs Gin is in

keeping with their brands reputation,

and is a unique extension of the

Hobbs’ family business. most recently

launching their Mr Hobbs 150; A classic

London Dry Gin with quintessential

English heritage to mark the 150-year

anniversary of Hobbs of Henley.


Company Focus

Colemans

Cider

T

his issues’ company focus is

Colemans Cider, a Yorkshire

wolds-based company

creating and producing

Cider of real quality for

Cider lovers across the country,

Community is at the essence of all

they do with apples sourced from

local orchards and gardens helping to

maintain low journey costs from source

into cider production, maintaining

their long term plans of sustainability,

community support, and minimum

effect upon their environment

The apple waste also known as

Pomace is used to feed local livestock,

ensuring the cycle of harvesting

production goes full circle season upon

season, rewarding their contributors

with Juice and Cider is just reward for

what they helped create.

Colemans Ciders offering is extensive,

from Yorkshire Ciders to their Fruit

range and single varieties, covering the

full spectrum of cider consumption and

ensuring stockists not only have choice,

but can also cover the full year with

varieties for all tastes and occasions.

The Company was established

in 2015 by a group of like-minded

friends, some of whom hail from the

home of Cider in the West Country,

and found there was an abundance

of apples in Yorkshire that would be

perfect for making Cider.

As the Company continued to

grow it became more than a cottage

industry, and in 2019 Jodie and

Steve, two of the founding members,

committed to running the company

a


full time in order to focus on

producing a real Craft Yorkshire

Cider to be proud of.

They have devoted their time since

taking on the company to refining

the products and creating a variety of

ciders for all seasons. All the ciders

made by Colemans are naturally still

and are fermented using 100% juice

over a longer period, to create a real

cider made from real apple juice,

instead of the growing industry trend

to use concentrates.

With a nod to being conscious of

sugar content, the ciders are at least

70% lower in sugar compared to

other commercial producers.

A company committed to

producing real Craft Cider of the

highest quality and range locally

sourced in Gods own country.

Colemans Cider Co. Ltd, Unit 2 Twydale

Business Park, Skerne Road, Driffield

YO25 6JX E: hello@colemanscider.co.uk

T: Steve on 07707 987090 or Jodie on

07761 345611

A few words from the makers

n At Colemans we use the Eastern

Counties method to produce our

real Yorkshire Cider, which uses a

mixture of cooking, eating and crab

apple varieties blended together.

Each batch is different so we blend

various batches when bottling to

get a consistent flavour. We collect

apples from several orchards across

the East Riding and from peoples’

back gardens and varieties include

Bramley, Discovery, Cox, Golden

Russet and Beauty of Bath.

Our Single Variety ciders are from

apples that come from established

orchards in Hereford and our

Fruit cider range is made using

our standard Yorkshire cider with

20% fruit juice added back. We

use Rhubarb, sloes, damsons and

plums and blackberries all from East

Yorkshire and steam the fruit to

create a pure juice. Our Elderflower

cider is made using a Cordial from

fresh picked elderflowers each year.

All our ciders are fermented

using wild and champagne yeast

and are matured over a long period

from 100% pure apple juice. We

pasteurise our cider when we

package and there are no added

sulphites or colourings or artificial

flavours or sweeteners.


To advertise in Farm Shop

Business magazine contact

Chris: 07818 711 387

Q & A

with

Hall Farm Shop



WHAT IS THE HISTORY BEHIND

THE FARM SHOP?

The Barrie family moved from Scotland

in 1923 to Hall Farm Home grown

potatoes were sold from the farm for

over 40 years until John & Stella Barrie

opened the shop in 2001, extending

it to its current size in 2003 with a

butchery opening in 2009, the café

restaurant opened in 2006 and the

farm trail in 2014.

DOES THE FARM SHOP HAVE A

DELI COUNTER?

Our farm shop does have deli counter.

We have around 50 different cheeses

including the local cheeses Suffolk gold,

Suffolk blue and Suffolk brie from the

Coddenham dairy and Baron Bigod

which is made in Bungay. We also sell

our home cooked hams and pate. Salami

from Lane farm in Woodbridge.

HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT

SOURCING PRODUCTS FOR

THE FARM SHOP?

We are always keeping an eye out for

new products and locally sourced

products. We often get sent samples

from different companies, which helps

when wanting to buy in something new.

We find magazines very helpful and

trade shows, keeping us up to date on

what we should be selling.

WHAT CHANGES, IF ANY,

DID YOU MAKE DURING THE

PANDEMIC?

We found the pandemic a very hard

and testing time. We had to increase the

amount of staff we had to be able to cope

with the influx of customers. We had 1

member of staff just to man the door and

make sure we only had 12 people in the

shop at one time. Our restaurant and

farm trail had to close, but we were one

of the lucky businesses as we had the

shop, so we were still able to trade.

ARE YOUR CUSTOMERS MAINLY

LOCAL OR DO THEY COME FROM

FURTHER AFIELD?

We have a lot of local customers coming

in to shop from the surrounding villages

and find that customers from further

afield mostly shop here at weekends.

It’s a really good mix.

www.hallfarmshop.com


Please contact us with any enquiries

www.clarencespirits.co.uk

07813 116 848

S C O T T I S H B O T A N I C A L R U M

Wilfully

Uncompromising

cabezonbeverage.com I contact@cabezonbeverage.com

Farm Shop Business Magazine

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