Northampton company opens three purpose-built units for artisan food production as business thrives post-lockdown

“We’re building on the food industry in the county and we’re hoping to keep it going for years to come.”
The company is going from strength to strength.The company is going from strength to strength.
The company is going from strength to strength.

A Northampton company has opened three purpose-built units specially designed for artisan food production as business thrives post-lockdown.

Friars Farm, infamous for its chutneys, has branched out to include homemade charcuterie and cheese, which are sold wholesale to companies such as Good Loaf, Jeyes and restaurants.

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Now production will continue in three purpose-built units in Phipps Brewery where the business also hopes to set up a pop-up shop.

The new purpose built units at Phipps.The new purpose built units at Phipps.
The new purpose built units at Phipps.

Owner Steve Reid said: “It has been a cracking journey and an interesting start. When you have a blank canvas you have an idea of where you want stuff, but it’s all been changed around about ten times.

“These rooms are more about production rather than selling, but all three were passed by environmental health last week so we are now good to go.

“We’ll be making products here but it’s not a shop. We’ll be looking to open a pop-up shop at Phipps hopefully in the next three weeks.

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“I don’t know of anywhere else like this, so it makes us proud to do what we do.”

The company now also makes charcuterie.The company now also makes charcuterie.
The company now also makes charcuterie.

The pop-up shop will be open on Fridays and Saturdays and will offer Friars Farm products, Phipps products and possibly stock from other businesses, too.

Currently, Friars Farm has four different styles of cheese, but Steve is working towards extending to six varieties and even has two apprentices learning to be ‘future cheesemakers’.

The businessman is also welcoming more feedback on his charcuterie products, which have already won silver in the British charcuterie awards.

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Steve says it is an exciting time for the business with a lot going on and more in the pipeline, following a difficult year during the pandemic.

He added: “Last year was a trial. Nobody knew what was happening.

“But since we have started coming out of the worst of it, we are seeing progress and have a drive to keep moving forward and doing the best we can.

“We are all about the town. The names of products relate to the leather and show industry.

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“We have unique recipes and we try to be creative and we use local, organic dairy from within Northamptonshire.

“We’re building on the food industry in the county and we’re hoping to keep it going for years to come.”

As well as setting up a pop-up shop at Phipps, Steve is also in talks with other places to open another shop, which he will continue to work towards.

Follow ‘Friars Farm’ on Facebook to find out more.