Riverford facts for kids
 |
|
| Private limited company | |
| Industry | Agriculture, Internet retail |
| Founded | Buckfastleigh, England (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
|
3,500,000 boxes (2021) |
| Revenue | £110 million (2021) |
| Owners |
|
|
Number of employees
|
650 (2018) |
Riverford Organic Farmers Ltd is a company that grows and delivers organic food. It was started by Guy Singh-Watson in Devon, England. They send out boxes of organic vegetables and other foods directly to people's homes. They also have other farms in different parts of the country.
Contents
How Riverford Started
The Watson family took over Riverford Farm in the 1950s. For many years, it was a regular British farm. In the mid-1980s, Guy Singh-Watson, who owned the farm, decided to change things. He wanted to grow food using organic methods. By the late 1980s, the farm was fully organic.
Guy Singh-Watson then thought about how to get his organic produce to people. He came up with the idea of a weekly vegetable box scheme. This meant delivering fresh, locally grown food directly to customers' doors.
Riverford chooses types of vegetables that taste great, not just ones that look perfect. They deliver vegetables that still have some soil on them. This helps them stay fresh longer and taste better.
Growing the Business
Riverford started small, delivering about 30 boxes a week to family and friends. By 2018, they were sending out around 45,000 boxes every week. These boxes went to homes all over the United Kingdom. They include Riverford's own meat and vegetables. They also offer organic fruit, dairy products, wine, and other food items.
To deliver so much food, Riverford works with other British farmers. These farmers are part of a special group that works together. Each weekly box also comes with a newsletter. This newsletter tells customers what's in their box. It also shares news from the farm and provides recipes.
Riverford's Journey and Awards
In March 2005, Riverford started providing lunches for a local primary school. This was before famous chef Jamie Oliver began his school dinner project.
In December 2007, Riverford was listed as one of the fastest-growing companies in the UK. They appeared at number 92 on the Sunday Times Fast Track 100 list.
Riverford has also won awards for being an ethical business. In 2009, they won the award for best ethical business from the Observer newspaper. In 2015, they won the Ethical Product of the Decade Award from the same newspaper.
Changes and Growth
In 2016, Riverford Organic Farms changed its name to Riverford Organic Farmers. This change showed their new focus. They wanted to put the farmers and the vegetables at the very heart of their business.
In 2018, Guy Singh-Watson made a big decision. He gave 76% of the company's ownership to a trust owned by the employees. This meant that the people who worked for Riverford now owned most of the company.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, many people needed food delivered to their homes. Riverford Organic Farmers saw a huge increase in demand for their fresh food delivery services. They even teamed up with a bicycle delivery company, Pedal & Post, to help deliver food.
In May 2023, Riverford announced another big change. The company would become 100% owned by its staff. Guy Singh-Watson sold his remaining 23% of shares. He said he would still be involved with the company.
