Grower-owned hop merchant Charles Faram has announced a partnership with new UK hop grower group, Charles Faram Farms Ltd.
James Hawkins (left) and Paul Corbett will be directors of the group, alongside Richard Phillips and Simon Parker. Photographs: Charles Faram
“We already work very closely with our grower partners worldwide,” said Paul Corbett, managing director of Charles Faram. “But this is to take the link with our local UK growers to the next level.
“Charles Faram Farms will be heavily involved in creating and retaining strong, long-lasting partnerships between its grower members and the brewers who use their hops. Members will be working closely with us on all aspects of our Hop Development Programme and raising standards throughout the group through the sharing of knowledge and best practice via the Wellhopped Quality Programme.
“It is a very exciting development and we invite brewers to join us in working more closely with the farms that grow hops for them.”
Fantastic opportunity
Simon Parker, recent chairman of the British Hop Association and a director of the new group, said: “We have worked closely with Charles Faram for many years, and to be able to move this forward in such a positive way, in such a difficult time for hop growers, is a fantastic opportunity.
“Every member of the new group is delighted to be involved, and we are looking forward to working with the team at Charles Faram and their brewery customers.”
The growers in the new group already produce a wide range of varieties, offering top-quality hops ranging from the traditional Fuggle and Golding varieties to the low-trellis varieties Sovereign, First Gold, Endeavour, Archer, and the aphid-resistant variety Boadicea. The group is also growing a large proportion of the own brand Jester, Olicana, and Harlequin acreage for Charles Faram.
It is very conscious of the environment and looking at new practices to reduce the carbon footprint of the hops grown. This includes growing varieties that use fewer crop protection products, autumn planting of inter-row cover crops, and carbon neutral fuel in tractors and for drying in the kilns.
Harlequin hops growing in the trial plot within Charles Faram’s Hop Development Programme
James Hawkins, another of the grower directors in the new group, said: “Growing of hops is a passion we all have in abundance. To link directly with Charles Faram and have access to their Development Programme is very exciting. We are already growing four of their new varieties commercially and look forward to seeing others come through.
“To have a closer relationship with brewers and meeting their requirements gives me confidence that we can keep supplying British Hops and make sure that the sixth generation of our family will continue to grow hops as I and the four before me have.”
Charles Faram Farm hop growers are very keen to work closely with British Brewers to help them reduce their carbon footprint. It is hoped that brewers will recognise the value in buying local, sustainably grown hops, reduce their food miles and help the environment.
• Look out for the grower links at charlesfaram.co.uk/charles-faram-farms-meet-the-growers/. These will be introduced via the Faram social media links and newsletters over the next few months.
