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October
2004
UK Countrylife Ltd Wins Award for Outstanding Small Business
UK Countrylife Ltd has been awarded the Sir Alistair Grant
Award for Outstanding Small Business, part of the 2004 IGD Food
Industry Awards.
The Sir Alistair Grant Award, sponsored by Morrisons, recognises
the important contribution small businesses make in the food
industry and is awarded for demonstrating excellence, for example
in a local sourcing or new business initiative, in innovation,
people development or marketing.
UK Countrylife Ltd was formed in 1999, the vision of a third-generation
farmer who wanted to diversify into value-added products and
reconnect farming to the consumer. Initially set up as a B2C
(business to consumer) scheme to deliver local food from 40
producers to local people, it has created a brand with a regional
origin but national potential. The 'Farmfresh' brand has expanded
to produce ready meals using local ingredients and local recipes,
and sell them to trade customers. The scheme supports 55 farmers
and producers in the East Midlands, giving them a clear route
to market.
The judges remarked "UK Countrylife has big ambitions and
has looked beyond the farm gate to diversify into new areas.
It resourced a small company with big talent to supply local
food to local people, develop ready meal ranges using local
ingredients and supply regional and national trade customers.
Its focus has remained the same, to promote regional food with
provenance."
The photograph shows Chris Blundell (centre), corporate affairs
director from Wm Morrisons Supermarket plc, handing the cup
to Robert Danks, UK Countrylife Ltd general manager, while UKC
sales manager Rob Yates looks on (left).
The other finalists were:
Mr Crumb - a food company, based in Finea, Co. Westmeath, Ireland,
specialising in stuffings.
Frumba Ltd, which produces healthy, functional snack bars.
Tastes of Anglia - a regional wholesale function which assists
its member
Doddington Dairy Ltd - a family-run dairy farm which has successfully
diversified from farm to food producer, using home-sourced milk
and processing to make cheese and recently luxury ice-cream.
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