Responsible farming from experienced British growers
Bedlam Farms Organic
Bedlam Farms Organic was created by two family-owned farming companies – M.F.Martin Ltd and Bedlam Farms. For four generations both companies have been at the forefront of farming in the Cambridgeshire Fens and in 2006 they decided to convert one-third of the farm into specialist organic vegetable production.
Bedlam Farms Organic is committed to caring for and enhancing the environment. They are members of the Higher Level Stewardship and the Organic Entry Level Stewardship Schemes and are LEAF marque registered as well as belonging to the Red Tractor Assurance Scheme.
Bedlam Farms grow organic asparagus, rhubarb, artichokes, Tenderstem® broccoli, fennel and mixed squash. We offer the full selection of Bedlam mixed squash throughout the season from August to December and Tenderstem® broccoli from Mid-June to Mid-November.
We sell Bedlam produce at all three sites.
Caffarelli Cucumbers
The Caffarelli family have been growing “English cucumbers with an Italian flavour” at Floral Farm in Cambridgeshire, for 4 generations and have supplied us exclusively for many years. Although traditional naked cues are the predominant variety, Mark Caffarelli loves to experiment with unique varieties including micro snack cucumbers, large cucamelons and he’s currently working on a very exciting project – Asian wok cucumbers... The Caffarelli’s will be the first UK growers of this cooking variety which will be available later this summer!
The team like to have oversight of the entire process and work closely with the seed manufacturers to share expertise. The cucumbers are planted, maintained and picked by hand in vast glasshouses while a state-of-the-art UK based Tontec computer system is used to regulate the temperature, irrigation and ventilation. Responsible farming is at the heart of Floral Farm, the team recently invested £350,000 in 2 biomass systems which will reduce their carbon footprint and minimise their environmental impact. The farm is also pesticide-free choosing to use natural Bioline packets instead and all fuel for the farm is sourced within a 50mile radius of the farm.
Caffarelli Cucumbers are available at New Spitalfields Market and New Covent Garden Market.
Garden of Elveden
Garden Of Elveden is a specialist fresh potato company based on the Elveden Estate and situated in the heart of the East Anglian farming region. Home to the UK’s largest lowland farm, farming has been taking place on the 22,500-acre estate for almost 100 years; the free-draining soils are great for potatoes.
The Elveden Estate is a Red Tractor and LEAF Marque farm; committed to improving farming and the environment. The estate is inhabited by Red, Roe, Fallow and Muntjac Deer and is home to several rare bird species including Woodlark, Nightjar, Lapwing and Stone Curlew. The many areas of natural Breckland are also host to many plants found nowhere else in the country including Perennial Knawel, Spanish Catchfly and Fingered Speedwell. With many areas designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest, the Elveden Estate has a long tradition of farming with environmental responsibility thereby helping to preserve one of the most important wildlife areas in Britain.
We stock Garden of Elveden baking and salad potatoes at all three sites.
Laurence J Betts Ltd
Laurence J Betts Ltd is one of our longest-standing suppliers; we’ve been working together since the 1980s when they came to us after buying our cabbages! LJ Betts is a historic family business based near West Malling, Kent, producing a selection of whole head, baby leaf and multi-leaf salads and cereals. Betts understand that their business is dependent on our environment and aim to sustain it to guarantee a prosperous future of food production for the generations ahead. They are committed to their responsibilities of maintaining the environment and farming in a sustainable manner.
We supply a range of LJ Betts produce at all three sites.
Nurtured in Norfolk
Nurtured in Norfolk was founded by ex-chefs Allan and Sue Miller who noticed a niche for new garnishes in the kitchen and wanted to add depth and flavour to the palate rather than just a garnish. They are constantly growing and developing as a company and now 10 years on, in a 4-acre nursery, supply a range of top-quality cut micro cress, pea shoots, edible flowers, baby and micro vegetables, sea vegetables and edible leaves in various flavours. The current range of micro cress has now been extended to over 70 different types and altogether there are over 280 different edibles in the range. All products are grown on a natural soil base, benefiting from nutrients that are present throughout the growing stages and therefore extending the shelf life.
Currently available at our Western International Market and New Spitalfields Market sites.
Provenance Potatoes
Provenance Potatoes grow and pack in the heart of Kent’s finest potato growing area. Provenance love local and as their name suggests, know exactly who grows every potato they sell, what field they grew them in and even the seed they originated from. They oversee the washing, grading, packing and delivery of all their potatoes to ensure they reach us in exactly the way their farmers would want them to.
Provenance and their grower group have always been aware of the environmental and social impact their businesses have on the natural landscape and local community. They have continuously looked to reduce their collective carbon footprint, care for the land their potatoes are grown on and considered the economic impact the packing and growing has on local jobs and rural wealth creation.
We supply Provenance’s washed desiree, king Edward and white potatoes at all three sites.
Stanhill Farm
Stanhill Farm's 150 acres are managed by brothers Toby and Max Williams and are ideally located in Dartford just 17 miles from the centre of London, making it one of the capitals most local farms! The Farm harvests wheat and several different fruit and vegetables; around 20-30 varieties each year.
When the brothers took over Stanhill back in 2004 the farm was producing cabbage for Waitrose, runner beans and courgettes for the wholesale trade and had only a small pick your own. Over the next few years, it was decided to move away from the supermarkets and concentrate on the wholesale market.
The main crops we use from Stanhill Farm are courgettes, marrows and runner beans which are available at New Spitalfields Market and New Covent Garden Market.
Thorogood Asparagus
The Thorogood family has been farming at New Moor for over 50 years, “originally, we grew vegetables to supply the London fresh produce markets but as the UK market for fresh produce changed, we moved away from veg and moved to more conventional arable farming, wheat barley and such…however, in the late 80’s my grandfather (Geoff) thought it would be a good idea to try and grow something different and that’s when my father (Pip) and grandfather planted our first asparagus bed.
Since then, our business has steadily grown to what it is now, supplying restaurants, farm shops and deli’s throughout Essex and London. Each weekend during the season we travel up to London to the farmers' markets at Pimlico, South Kensington and Alexandra Palace. Throughout the season we pick the asparagus beds daily and our shop in the packhouse.” Mark Thorogood.