East Anglia

Mark and Valerie Howson: Garden Friends Vegetable Box Scheme

After tasting exceptional locally grown vegetables, Mark and Valerie knew that a box scheme business was bound to be a hit with their community. All their vegetables come from within fifteen miles of their business, meaning that all delivered produce will have still been growing just days beforehand. The rich colour of their produce is testament to its high quality and tight turnaround.

London

Walter Purkis : Walter Purkis & Sons

Walter’s family have links to the fish trade going back to the 1700s. He grew up living over his father’s fish shop, and the passion for high quality fish he developed then hasn’t faded. He now runs a family fishmonger in Muswell Hill where they pride themselves on making the very best of seafood. As well as smoking their own fish, they sell it fresh and are always happy to offer cooking tips or recipes.

Midlands

Johnny Pusztai - JT Beedham & Sons Ltd

When Johnny started working in JT Beedham's butchers as a 12 year old little did he know he would be running the business 30 years later! Steeped in history this traditional butchers has been sourcing local meat since 1876. The business has expanded to include a smokehouse for home-cured bacon and hams. Johnny prides himself on his knowledge as when it comes to his customers "95% of them know what they are talking about"

North East

Rhian Craddock : The Feathers Inn

Originally from the North East - Rhian left his career in high end posh food in London to go back to his roots. "There’s not much like what I’m doing – I’m doing seasonality in a big way which isn’t seen in pubs round here". The Feathers with its cosy and inviting interior has built a reputation for fabulous home-cooking over the past 20 years. The daily-changing blackboard menu could include local Bywell smoked chicken Caesar salad, and pork casseroled with orange celery and leeks, with mash.

North West

John Natlacen: Churchmouse Cheeses

It might seem a long way from spreadsheets to washed rind, but for John Natlacen, a former financial advisor, his career change into cheese purveyor was the result of a personal passion. 'I used to go to a cheese shop in Didsbury, South Manchester every weekend and ask "what's the smelliest, strongest blue cheese you have?", and I suppose the idea came from there.' Moving to Cumbria he was inspired by the wealth of local produce and his shop is a cheese-lover's heaven: it can have up to 150 cheeses in stock at any time, with most having been made within 80 miles of the store. He's happiest when 'we can introduce people to cheeses that they've never tried before.

Northern Ireland

Pat O'Doherty : O' Doherty's Fine Meats

Butcher Pat is passionate about pigs - believing the animals welfare is the key to his superior produce. Pat's award-winning black bacon and fresh dry-cure bacons are made from pigs grazing on lush Fermanagh farmland. His Aberdeen Angus beef comes from cattle reared naturally on the shores of Lough Erne and sells game produced on local estates.

Scotland

Bernard Thain - 3rd place in grand final - Fencebay

Fencebay farmshop specialises in seafood selling a wide variety of locally-caught fresh fish and shellfish and traditional smoked goodies. Owner Bernard was tempted up to Ayrshire 25 years ago from his native East Anglia and has remained here ever since. Thain is actually a Scottish name and tracing his ansestory it seems Bernard may have been born into a line of Scottish fisherman following herring down the eastern coast to Lowestoft. So a real case of salty seawater in the blood!

South West

Leona Williamson : St. Werburghs City Farm Café
- 2nd place in grand final

Built on a belief that everybody should have access to good food, Leona set up a St. Werburghs City Farm Café in the heart of Bristol. The majority of the produce she uses comes from the farm, or from local producers. As well as thinking locally, Leona also thinks globally, selling organic and fair-trade wherever she can. She’s thankful for her two hugely creative chefs, who turn baskets of ever-changing ingredients into delicious dishes for the customers.

South East

James Hague - Daisy's Farm Fresh Milk
- grand final winner!

James and his wife Helen started dairy farming in Hampshire three years ago. They use traditional farming methods without putting strain on their herd, producing pasteurised but unhomogenised milk that tastes how milk should. With an amazingly fast turnaround, they get the milk from cow to doorstep in only 24 hours.

Wales

Chris Beck: Panorama Pedigree Welsh Pigs

At just 21, Chris Beck is one of our youngest heroes and attributes his knowledge and passion for pigs to an attic find. He explains, 'rummaging through the house one day, we found some old boxes that our great-grandparents had, with notes on husbandry of pigs.' Having adopted much of the wisdom found in those notes, he now farms rare breed Welsh pigs, which his customers rave about: 'Chris loves his pigs, and the flavour carries over to the meat'.