BigBarn
BigBarn CIC is a UK Community Interest Company, founded in 2001, operating the country's largest local food map connecting 8,800+ UK food producers and outlets with consumers searching by postcode, supported by a marketplace, an embeddable map widget distributed across 100+ partner websites, school food education programs, and an affiliate partner program.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersGreat Barford, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
BigBarn firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BigBarn
- Legal name
- BigBarn CIC
- Website
- https://bigbarn.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- BigBarn CIC is a UK Community Interest Company, founded in 2001, operating the country's largest local food map connecting 8,800+ UK food producers and outlets with consumers searching by postcode, supported by a marketplace, an embeddable map widget distributed across 100+ partner websites, school food education programs, and an affiliate partner program.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
BigBarn industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Local Food Marketplace
- NAICS
- Specialty Food Retailers (4452), All Other Specialty Food Retailers (445298)
- SIC
- Retail-Food Stores (5400), Retail-Grocery Stores (5411)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Grocery & Specialty Food Marketplaces (CRAFABAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Gourmet & Fine Food Stores (CRAHAGAG)
Keywords
Where BigBarn is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Great Barford
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
BigBarn business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Supplier Membership Fees: Local food producers and outlets pay £10 + VAT to join and appear on the Local Food Map and Marketplace. This provides access to the map, marketplace visibility, and additional marketing benefits.
- Affiliate/Partner Referrals: Partner websites linking to BigBarn pages earn commission from trade. The affiliate scheme enables other food, green, or local interest websites to monetize their traffic through local food referrals.
- Trade Discounts and Member Services: BigBarn members receive discounts on products and services including vegan mayonnaise, rum tastings, probiotics, oriental sauces, firelighters, seafood, CBD products, insulated packaging, courier services, route optimization, and retail equipment. BigBarn likely receives referral fees or volume-based benefits.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | One time/ perpetual license | Supplier Membership |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
BigBarn product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BigBarn operates the UK's largest local food map and online marketplace, listing over 8,800 UK food and drink outlets including farm shops, bakeries, dairies, cafes, markets, and producers that consumers can search by postcode. Local producers and outlets pay a one-time £10 + VAT membership fee to be listed on the Local Food Map and Marketplace, while the platform also monetizes through affiliate commissions earned when partner websites embed its map or link to BigBarn pages. Members additionally gain access to negotiated trade discounts across a curated range of suppliers (packaging, courier services, refrigeration, etc.).
Product overview
BigBarn is a UK-based Community Interest Company (CIC) operating a dual-platform system consisting of the Local Food Map and the Marketplace. The Local Food Map is the core product—an open, crowd-updated directory of over 8,800 local food outlets including farm shops, producers, cafes, and markets. The Marketplace integrates with the map, allowing producers to list products and reach over 100,000 monthly visitors. Supporting this core platform are several complementary modules: the Crop for the Shop initiative connecting home growers with local shops; the Schools Project and Food Education Program providing structured 21-week curricula for food education; and the KIS (Keep It Simple) Cookery Videos offering recipe content. Additionally, BigBarn offers an embeddable Map Widget and Affiliate Partner Program for third-party website integration.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- BigBarn Local Food Map Interactive UK-wide map of over 8,800 local food and drink outlets (farm shops, bakeries, dairies, cafes, markets, producers) searchable by postcode and filterable by category. It is the core discovery surface for UK consumers looking to find local food, and is the foundation on which BigBarn's marketplace, widget, and affiliate programs are built.
- BigBarn Marketplace
Quantifiable outcome
- 8,800+ outlets on the map
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use BigBarn
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
BigBarn technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature3 records
BigBarn partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
24 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Green Business NetworkminorListed as local food partner on BigBarn's website, promoting sustainable business practices.
- Pasture for Life AssociationcorePromoting pasture-fed livestock and helping consumers find local, ethically-raised meat. Aligns with BigBarn's mission for better farmer compensation.
- Farms Not FactoriescoreCampaigning organization focused on revealing the true cost of factory farming. Shares BigBarn's vision for reconnecting consumers with food sources.
- Love Food Hate WasteminorFood waste reduction charity helping people waste less food. Complementary to BigBarn's local food mission.
- Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST)coreConservation charity working to preserve native British rare breeds of farm animals. Supports BigBarn's local, sustainable food network.
- The FlexitarianminorPromoting flexible eating habits with less meat. Aligns with BigBarn's diverse local food offerings.
- Sustainability InstitutecoreAcademic/research organization focused on sustainability. Provides credibility and research backing for BigBarn's initiatives.
- CIC AssociationcoreRepresents Community Interest Companies. BigBarn operates as a CIC, so this partnership provides network and resources for CIC model.
- Bee Farmers AssociationcoreRepresents UK bee farmers. Supports local honey and bee product producers on the BigBarn network.
- British Game AlliancecorePromoting responsibly sourced British game meat. Supports local game producers on the platform.
- My Green Pod (Hero Badge Gold)minorSustainable products hero badge recognition for BigBarn's local food map.
- The Southwest Food HubcoreRegional food hub for Southwest England. Distributes local food from BigBarn's producer network.
- National Farmers Union (NFFN)coreRepresents English and Welsh farmers. Supports farmer engagement with local food initiatives.
- Farm DiversitycoreMagazine and platform celebrating farm diversity. Cross-promotes local food producers.
- British PilgrimageminorCharity reviving pilgrim routes. Links local food with journey and place.
- Slow Food UKcorePart of global Slow Food movement promoting good, clean, fair food. Deep alignment with BigBarn's local food mission.
- Friends of the EarthcoreEnvironmental campaigning organization. Supports sustainable food systems and local food initiatives.
- Sustainable Food TrustcoreCharity working for more sustainable food and farming. Provides research and credibility.
- Sustain (UK Food & Farming)coreAlliance for better food and farming. Advocates for sustainable food policies.
- Permaculture AssociationcoreEducation and research organization for permaculture. Supports sustainable growing on BigBarn.
- British Beekeepers Association (BBKA)coreSupports beekeeping in the UK. Promotes local honey and pollinators.
- Soil AssociationcoreLeading organic farming organization. Promotes organic and sustainable food production.
- PlantlifeminorWild plant conservation charity. Links local foraging with BigBarn's food education.
- River CottagecoreIconic sustainable food brand. Deep alignment with local food, foraging, and cooking education.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
BigBarn competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Foodhub: UK food ordering and delivery platform connecting independent takeaways and restaurants with consumers. Adjacent marketplace business model in the UK food sector, though focused on prepared food delivery rather than producer-to-consumer local food discovery.
- Farmison & Co: UK online retailer specializing in artisan and heritage meat sourced directly from British farms. While more verticalized (meat only) and transactional than BigBarn's directory model, it overlaps on the 'direct from UK producer' value proposition for consumers.
Broad incumbents
- Riverford Organic Farmers: Major UK organic vegetable box delivery company with a franchise farmer model. Deeply aligned with BigBarn's local/sustainable food mission (and a BigBarn partner) but operates a much larger commercial subscription delivery business rather than a producer directory.
- Milk & More: UK doorstep dairy and grocery delivery service with a long heritage. Operates a different delivery model (direct home delivery) but serves many of the same SMB UK dairy/producer partners that list on BigBarn, making it an adjacent incumbent in local food.
- Abel & Cole: Established UK organic food box and grocery delivery service founded 1988. Operates a similar direct-producer sourcing model but at national scale with a subscription-box commercial structure, representing a more mature and capitalized version of BigBarn's local food mission.
Others
- Yeo Valley Organic: Major UK organic dairy and food brand with strong farmer-direct sourcing heritage. While a producer rather than a marketplace, Yeo Valley shares BigBarn's mission to support British organic farmers and serves as a potential supplier-partner precedent for scale producers on the platform.
Regional players
- Soil Association Certification Directory: UK organic certification body's online directory of certified organic producers. Overlaps with BigBarn's directory model for finding organic/sustainable UK producers, though narrower in scope (organic only) and operating as a non-commercial certification resource.
Direct peers
- NeighbourFood: Ireland-founded local food marketplace operating a pop-up model where producers host weekly collection points in neighborhoods. Most direct competitor to BigBarn in the UK/Ireland local food marketplace category, operating a similar two-sided producer-consumer marketplace with community-led ethos.
- Farmdrop: Previously operated as a UK online farmers' market and local food delivery marketplace with a similar two-sided producer-consumer model. Entered administration in 2022, illustrating both the strategic relevance and the execution/capital challenges in this category that BigBarn must navigate.
- Open Food Network UK: UK chapter of the global open-source food marketplace cooperative, connecting local producers with consumers and food hubs. Direct peer in the local food discovery and online marketplace space, with a similar producer-friendly ethos and CIC/cooperative-adjacent operating model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
BigBarn social profiles
Digital presenceBigBarn financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BigBarn leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
BigBarn funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BigBarn M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about BigBarn
What does BigBarn do?
BigBarn operates the UK's largest local food map and online marketplace, listing over 8,800 UK food and drink outlets including farm shops, bakeries, dairies, cafes, markets, and producers that consumers can search by postcode. Local producers and outlets pay a one-time £10 + VAT membership fee to be listed on the Local Food Map and Marketplace, while the platform also monetizes through affiliate commissions earned when partner websites embed its map or link to BigBarn pages. Members additionally gain access to negotiated trade discounts across a curated range of suppliers (packaging, courier services, refrigeration, etc.).
Is BigBarn a public or private company?
BigBarn is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was BigBarn founded?
BigBarn was founded in 2001. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is BigBarn based?
BigBarn is headquartered in Great Barford, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does BigBarn make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Supplier Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are affiliate/Partner Referrals and trade Discounts and Member Services.
Who are BigBarn's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Foodhub and Farmison & Co. Broad incumbents are Riverford Organic Farmers, Milk & More and Abel & Cole. Yeo Valley Organic is listed as an others. Soil Association Certification Directory is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are NeighbourFood, Farmdrop and Open Food Network UK.
Does BigBarn have an API?
No public API is recorded for BigBarn.
What industry is BigBarn in?
BigBarn's product category is Local Food Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAFABAE, Grocery & Specialty Food Marketplaces, with a secondary code of CRAHAGAG, Gourmet & Fine Food Stores. Its NAICS code is 4452 and its SIC code is 5400.