What Adrian Scripps does

Adrian Scripps Ltd is a family-owned UK top fruit grower and packer founded in 1960 and headquartered at Moat Farm, Five Oak Green, Tonbridge, Kent. The company sustainably farms 750 hectares across five Kent sites (Moat Farm, Parsonage Farm at Cobham, Hononton Farm at Brenchley, Wenderton Farm at Wingham, and Sherenden Farm at Tudeley), producing apples (Pink Lady, Gala, Braeburn, Jazz, Bramley, Red Prince, Kanzi), blackcurrants supplied to Ribena since the 1960s, and wine grapes (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay) for English sparkling wine producers.

The business is vertically integrated, combining field operations with what the company describes as the most automated packhouse facility in the UK, featuring water flotation grading, 41 Controlled Atmosphere stores, and 30 Dynamic Controlled Atmosphere / Chlorophyll Fluorescence (DCA/CF) stores that together hold approximately 42,000 fruit bins or 14,000 tons. The proprietary REVO multi-level fruit harvesting platform, distributed through wholly-owned subsidiary Hortus Machinery Ltd, reduces labour input and picking time and is also sold externally to other fruit enterprises.

Adrian Scripps generates revenue through three primary streams: fresh fruit sales (year-round supply of apples and blackcurrants to UK supermarket retailers, wholesale distributors, and beverage manufacturers), wine grape sales to English sparkling wine producers, and REVO machinery hardware sales via Hortus Machinery Ltd. Distribution is direct B2B through the company's packhouse operations. The company holds BRC Global Standard for Food Safety, LEAF Marque, Red Tractor, Assured Produce, and Tesco Nurture certifications, which serve as both quality assurance and retailer qualification. The Scripps family maintains ownership and governance, with Richard Scripps as Chairman, Jane Scripps as Director and Company Secretary, William Scripps training on the farms as the third generation, and non-family Managing Director James Simpson overseeing operations since 1991.

Name

Adrian Scripps

Legal name

Adrian Scripps Ltd

Website

https://adrianscripps.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Adrian Scripps Ltd is a family-owned UK grower and packer operating 750 hectares across Kent, producing apples, blackcurrants (supplied to Ribena since the 1960s), and wine grapes for English sparkling wine producers, with an automated packhouse and proprietary REVO harvesting machinery sold via subsidiary Hortus Machinery Ltd.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fresh Fruit Production and Supply

NAICS

Apple Orchards (111331), Grape Vineyards (111332), Berry (except Strawberry) Farming (111334)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

Fresh Produce Packhouses (Fruits & Vegetables) (AFAOAGAA)

Keywords

• Fruit farming operations
• Fresh produce supply
• Controlled atmosphere storage
• Harvesting machinery manufacturing
• Apple growing

Headquarters

HQ city

Tonbridge

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Fresh Fruit Sales: Growing, storing, and packing apples (Pink Lady, Gala, Braeburn, Jazz, Bramley, Red Prince), blackcurrants (supplied to Ribena since 1960s), and wine grapes for English sparkling wine producers. Products sold year-round to supermarket and wholesale customers.
2. REVO Machinery Sales: Sale and distribution of REVO harvesting platforms manufactured by subsidiary Hortus Machinery Ltd. Target customers are other fruit enterprises seeking orchard efficiency improvements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Adrian Scripps is a vertically integrated UK fruit grower and packer cultivating apples, blackcurrants, and wine grapes across 750 hectares on five farms in Kent. The company operates a state-of-the-art automated packhouse with controlled atmosphere storage to supply fresh fruit year-round to supermarket retailers, wholesalers, and beverage manufacturers. It also manufactures and distributes the proprietary REVO multi-level fruit harvesting platform through its wholly owned subsidiary Hortus Machinery Ltd.

Product overview

Adrian Scripps Ltd is a premier UK grower and packer of English fruit operating 750 hectares across five farms in Kent. The company's product portfolio centres on fresh produce (apples and blackcurrants for Ribena, wine grapes) and agricultural services. Apple varieties include Pink Lady®, Gala, Braeburn, Jazz™, Bramley, Red Prince®, and Kanzi, sold to supermarkets and wholesale customers. REVO harvesting machines (sold via subsidiary Hortus Machinery Ltd) represent the company's sole technology product—a multi-level platform revolutionising fruit harvesting efficiency. Supporting services include state-of-the-art packhouse operations with 71 storage stores (including DCA/CF Controlled Atmosphere technology), seasonal farm labour recruitment, and permanent positions in dispatch and packhouse management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• REVO: Revolutionary fruit harvesting platform that has transformed the harvesting process, reducing labour and picking time. Multi-level platform makes picking easier for workers and maintains produce quality. Sold and distributed by Hortus Machinery Ltd, a subsidiary of Adrian Scripps Ltd.

Products and services

• Pink Lady® Apples Premium apple variety with rosy blush, crisp juicy texture, and natural sweetness, supplied to UK supermarket and wholesale customers as a snack and baking apple.
• Gala Apples Most popular apple variety in the UK, a dessert apple with good appearance and taste, available from October to April for supermarket and wholesale customers.
• Braeburn Apples Bi-coloured apple combining sweetness and acidity for a rich tangy taste, supplied year-round to retail and wholesale customers.
• Jazz™ Apples Crisp and juicy apple variety suitable as a snack or for cooking in pies and tarts, sold to supermarket and wholesale customers.
• Bramley Apples The definitive English cooking apple with green skin and white flesh that cooks down to a tart puree, available year-round.
• Red Prince® Apples Bright red apple that is both sweet and juicy and stores well, supplied to retailers and wholesalers.
• Kanzi Apples Apple variety grown at Wenderton Farm alongside Gala and Braeburn and supplied to retail customers.
• Blackcurrants High vitamin C blackcurrants grown continuously since the 1960s and supplied primarily to Ribena for juice production, harvested using state-of-the-art picking platforms.
• Pinot Noir Grapes Thin-skinned wine grapes producing lighter bodied, delicately aromatic wines, grown for English sparkling wine producers.
• Chardonnay Grapes Wine grapes with a relatively neutral aspect allowing winemaker flexibility, supplied to English sparkling wine producers.
• REVO Harvesting Machines Revolutionary multi-level fruit harvesting platform that reduces labour and picking time and gently conveys fruit from picker to bin, maintaining produce quality. Adaptable for pruning, thinning, and hail net operations, sold to other fruit enterprises via subsidiary Hortus Machinery Ltd.
• Fruit Storage and Packing Services State-of-the-art packhouse and storage services with 71 stores across two sites holding approximately 42,000 fruit bins or 14,000 tons, including Controlled Atmosphere and DCA/CF (Dynamic Controlled Atmosphere / Chlorophyll Fluorescence) systems with water flotation grading to preserve fruit quality.

Quantifiable outcome

• Year-round availability of English apples through advanced controlled atmosphere storage
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Hortus Machinery LtdcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerSubsidiary of Adrian Scripps Ltd that sells and distributes REVO harvesting machines to other fruit enterprises. Provides sales contact for James Simpson at Adrian Scripps for quotes and demonstrations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Driscoll's: Global market-leader in berry production and distribution, with UK-based growing operations. Comparable on berry side of Adrian Scripps's blackcurrant business, though at a much larger scale and broader category.
• T&G Global: Large New Zealand-headquartered global apple and cherry grower with vertically integrated packhouse and Coolstore operations. Comparable in apples, controlled-atmosphere storage, and branded apple varieties (e.g., Envy, Jazz), though at much larger international scale.

Direct peers

• S&A Produce: One of the UK's largest strawberry and soft-fruit growers, supplying major UK supermarkets year-round. Comparable UK fresh-produce supplier with supermarket-as-primary-customer model and seasonal labour operation.
• Berry Gardens (Berry Growers UK): UK berry cooperative supplying major retailers with strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. Comparable as a UK fresh-produce supplier to supermarket customers with a similar packhouse-to-retail operating model.
• AC Goatham & Son: One of the UK's largest top-fruit growers and packers, producing apples and pears primarily for UK supermarkets. Directly comparable to Adrian Scripps in crop mix (apples), UK supermarket customer base, packhouse operations, and family-owned private structure.
• Total Berry Farms: UK-based berry farming and packhouse operation supplying retail customers. Comparable to Adrian Scripps's blackcurrant operation as a UK berry producer with packhouse infrastructure and supermarket customer base.
• Haygrove Ltd: UK-based grower of soft fruit and top fruit with significant packhouse operations, supplying major UK retailers. Comparable in scale, customer base, and farm-to-packhouse vertical integration relevant to Adrian Scripps's operations.

Emerging players

• Nyetimber: Leading English sparkling wine producer and a customer of Adrian Scripps's Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. Comparable as a downstream buyer of English-grown wine grapes, representing the emerging UK wine category that creates pull-through demand for Adrian Scripps's grape hectares.

Others

• Chapel Down: England's largest wine producer and a potential customer for English-grown wine grapes. Compares as an adjacent customer in the English sparkling wine value chain that Adrian Scripps supplies.

Regional players

• William Pearson & Co: UK fruit and stone-fruit grower with packhouse operations supplying UK retailers. Comparable as a UK top-fruit and stone-fruit producer with supermarket customers, though regional in scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCNqNoHu-GvuE26CNbajcMkw
• Facebookfacebook.com/AdrianScrippsLtd
• Instagraminstagram.com/adrianscrippsltd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/adrian-scripps

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Adrian Scripps