Riverford

Last updated

Riverford Organic Farmers Ltd
Company type Private limited company
Industry Agriculture, Internet retail
Founded Buckfastleigh, England (1987 (1987))
Founder Guy Singh-Watson
Headquarters
Buckfastleigh, England
Area served
United Kingdom
Key people
Products Organic vegetables, fruit, dairy, meat, recipe boxes, meal kits
Production output
3,200,000 deliveries (2024)
Revenue£108 million (2024)
£6.7 million (2024)
Owners
Number of employees
1014 (2024)
Website www.riverford.co.uk

Riverford Organic Farmers Ltd is an organic farm and organic vegetable box delivery company founded by Guy Singh-Watson in Devon, England, but with sister farms in three locations around the country. [1]

Contents

Riverford Farm, Buckfastleigh Riverford.JPG
Riverford Farm, Buckfastleigh
The contents of a Riverford fruit and vegetable box from July 2009 Riverfod box.jpg
The contents of a Riverford fruit and vegetable box from July 2009

Background

Riverford Farm was taken over by the Watson family in the 1950s and followed the normal pattern for British farms until the mid-1980s, when Guy Singh-Watson (then Guy Watson) decided to convert to organic farming. By the late 1980s, this had been achieved. [2] Singh-Watson aimed to find an effective way of distributing his produce. His idea was the weekly vegetable box scheme, the box being delivered directly to customers' doors with locally grown produce. [3]

Riverford chooses varieties for flavour rather than appearance and delivers earthy vegetables, which improves storage and taste. [4]

Starting from a weekly delivery of around 30 boxes to family and friends, in 2018 Riverford delivered around 45,000 boxes per week [1] to households nationwide, sending its own meat and vegetables as well as organic fruit, dairy, wine, store cupboard staples and more. [5] To achieve this they have formed a mutual cooperative of British farmers - not all in Devon. [6] The weekly boxes come with a newsletter explaining the content of the box, giving farm news from Riverford and providing appropriate recipes.

History

In March 2005, before celebrity chef Jamie Oliver's school dinner project, Riverford obtained the catering contract for lunches at a local primary school. [7]

On 2 December 2007 Riverford appeared at number 92 in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100, a list of the 100 fastest growing companies in the UK. In 2009 Riverford won the award for best ethical business at the Observer ethical awards [8] and in 2015 Riverford won the award for the Ethical Product of the Decade Award from the Observer. [9]

in 2016 Riverford Organic Farms rebranded to Riverford Organic Farmers with a refocused objective of placing the growers and vegetables at the heart of the business [10]

In 2018 Singh-Watson gave 76% of ownership to an employee owned trust. [11]

In 2020, Riverford Organic Farmers teamed up with bicycle courier company Pedal & Post to have their fresh fruit and vegetables delivered directly to the doors of customers. [12] Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the delivery services being offered by Riverford Organic Farmers were said to have experienced 'unprecedented demand' for their fresh food. [13]

In May 2023, Riverford announced it will become 100% owned by staff, this came after founder Guy Singh-Watson announced he will be selling the remaining 23% of his shares for around £10 million. Watson stated that he will still be involved in the organisation. [14]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Riverford Farms". Riverford. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  2. ↑ "Farm News". Riverford. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
  3. ↑ Stone, Andrew (27 July 2008). "How I made it: Riverford Organic Vegetables founder Guy Watson". Times Online . London. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
  4. ↑ "Organic vegbox producer bags national award for positive rural action". Business in the Community . Retrieved 4 March 2010.[ dead link ]
  5. ↑ Ellis, Hattie (28 January 2010). "It's time to think inside the (vegetable) box scheme". The Times Online . London. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
  6. ↑ "Growers & Small Producers". Riverford. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  7. ↑ "Council bans 'unhealthy' dinners". BBC News . 11 April 2005. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
  8. ↑ "The Observer ethical awards 2009: Riverford Organic Vegetables". The Guardian . London. 4 June 2009. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
  9. ↑ Carnegie, Megan (2 July 2015). "Observer Ethical Awards 2015 winners: Riverford". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  10. ↑ "Riverford answers consumer call for transparency and sustainability". www.producebusinessuk.com. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  11. ↑ Butler, Sarah (7 April 2018). "Staff ownership ensures organic veg firm Riverford doesn't forget its roots". The Observer. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  12. ↑ "Green revolution on the streets as organic veg delivered to homes by pedal power". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  13. ↑ Laville, Sandra; Smithers, Rebecca (20 March 2020). "UK's organic vegetable delivery firms 'flat out' amid coronavirus crisis". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 7 May 2020.
  14. ↑ Butler, Sarah (19 May 2023). "Veg box firm Riverford to be 100% staff-owned as founder sells stake for £10m". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 19 May 2023.
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