The latest from Newlyns Farm Shop

Newlyns is one of the UK's Best Farm Shops

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NEWLYNS IS ONE OF THE UK’S BEST FARM SHOPS

Newlyns Farm Shop, in Hook, Hampshire, is one of just seven farm shops across the UK who have been shortlisted for the coveted National Farm Retailer of the Year 2010 title from the National Farmers’ Retail & Markets Association (FARMA). The farm shop is also up for the FARMA Best on-farm Butchery award. The winners in both categories will be announced on 25 January 2011 at FARM & MORE, the sector’s national conference in Bournemouth.

Newlyns is run by a fourth generation farming family with a passion for great food and a desire to reconnect people with the countryside around them. The farm shop first opened in 2004, and today features impressive butchery and deli counters selling the farm’s own meat, alongside homegrown fruit and vegetables, homemade desserts, cakes, pies and pastries, and a full range of local and British produce, from cheese to quails’ eggs. Visitors can ‘try before they buy’ by stopping for a local lunch in the onsite coffee shop, or go a step further and attend a class in the hugely popular Cookery School.

Newlyns offers a unique butchery service, since the beef, lamb, pork, chicken and Christmas poultry all come from the family’s own farm. This means that good animal husbandry, provenance and quality are guaranteed all the way from field to fork. Customers can even join one of the farm tours and see the animals for themselves. The breeds used are selected for quality and flavour, hung and prepared by the team of 6 expert butchers, who can also offer cooking suggestions. Newlyns has won a number of awards for its sausages, pies and sausage rolls, and also makes bacon, hams, cold meats, pasties, and quiches.

Emma Higgens, one of the family who own and run the business, commented, “We are very excited to have been chosen as finalists in this year’s FARMA Awards. Every year we seek to build on what we have achieved so far, whilst maintaining our integrity as a local food business which has our farm’s own quality produce at its core. It is a real encouragement to have our efforts and passions recognised.”

In the stages completed so far, a detailed entry form was submitted followed by FARMA sending in a ‘mystery shopper’ to the farm shop; as a finalist, Newlyns Farm Shop will be visited and assessed again in the next few months by the team of judges, comprising of former award winners and farm retail peers.

“We are delighted that Newlyns Farm Shop is one of the 2011 FARMA Awards finalists,” commented Rita Exner, FARMA Secretary. “The passion and professionalism of the team there is second to none, and as a business it continues to thrive year on year. In this next round of judging, we will be looking in more depth at all the finalists, considering not only the customer experience, but the retailing and management skills behind the scenes. Congratulations to everyone at Newlyns for making it this far – it’s a fantastic achievement – and I wish them all the best for the final round.”

For more information:

Newlyns Farm Shop, Hook, Hampshire, RG25 2RS

Contact: Emma Higgens Tel: 01256 704128 www.newlyns-farmshop.co.uk

FARMA, Rita Exner or Laura Waterton: 0845 45 88 420 www.farma.org.uk

Notes to Editors:
The National Farmers’ Retail & Markets Association (FARMA) is a 700-strong farmer-owned co-operative that represents and supports direct sales to the consumer in all its forms: farm shops, pick-your-own farms, farmers’ markets, box schemes and internet sales.

It sets standards for farm shops and farmers’ markets with an independent inspection and Certification mark to ensure that they are the genuine article; and works to improve retailing and marketing skills throughout the industry. The FARMA Awards have been running since 2002.

September 2010

Laura Waterton

Food & Projects Co-ordinator

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National Farmers' Retail & Markets Association (FARMA), 12 Southgate Street, Winchester, SO23 9EF.
Call us at local rates on 0845 45 88 420 or alternatively on 01962 841098.

Websites www.farma.org.uk; www.farmshopping.com; www.farmersmarkets.net; www.pickyourown.info; www.monthoftaste.info

The annual FARMA/Local Direct Sales Tracking Surveys 2004-09 shows most consumers (90%) want to buy from farm direct outlets - www.farma.org.uk