Castleton Farm

What Castleton Farm does

Castleton Farm is a vertically integrated family-run fruit farming and food business based in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, operating across 1,200 acres of which over 400 acres are planted with soft fruit — strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and cherries. Founded in 1992 and owned by Ross and Anna Mitchell, the business holds the position of the most northerly commercial blueberry farm in the world, harvests fruit for nine months of the year, and produces more than 9 million punnets annually. Operations centre on the Fordoun/Laurencekirk site, which combines polytunnel-protected cultivation, a custom-built on-site packhouse for rapid chilling and packing, a farm shop, a café open seven days a week, and supporting infrastructure including pollination contracts with Cove Honey Bees.

The business operates a hybrid revenue model combining B2B wholesale supply to four major UK supermarkets (Marks & Spencer, Tesco, Waitrose, Lidl) and regional retailers (Scotmid) with direct-to-consumer channels including the on-site farm shop and café, a UK-wide e-commerce storefront, and UK delivery of gift hampers. Value-added manufacturing extends the fresh fruit offering into preserves, syrups, vinegars, hemp oil, and the Great Taste Award-winning hemp oil mayonnaise, while experiential revenue is generated from farm tours, jam-making workshops, kids' activities, and themed afternoon tea. An exclusive Cerasina cherry variety partnership with German breeder Peter Stoppel and the adoption of regenerative farming since 2018 underpin a Scottish provenance positioning that has earned multiple Great Taste Awards and North East Scotland Food & Drink Awards.

Pricing is publicly disclosed across product tiers — hampers from £40 to £120, pizzas at £10.95, afternoon tea at £25 per person, and individual jars at £3.50–£3.95 — and the business targets both premium retail buyers seeking traceable Scottish produce and direct consumer segments including visitors, gift purchasers, and corporate clients. The company has no external institutional funding and operates as a private family business, with growth evidenced through product diversification (notably hemp-derived lines and café menu expansion), award momentum, and continued land-use intensification rather than external capital deployment.

Name

Castleton Farm

Legal name

Castleton Farm

Website

https://castletonfarm.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Castleton Farm is a family-run Scottish soft fruit farming business producing 9+ million punnets annually across 400+ acres, operating a vertically integrated model spanning wholesale supply to major UK supermarkets, an on-site farm shop and café, e-commerce, and value-added food manufacturing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Soft Fruit Production

NAICS

Fruit and Tree Nut Farming (1113), Strawberry Farming (111333), Berry (except Strawberry) Farming (111334), Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers (444240)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Canned, Fruits, Veg, Preserves, Jams & Jellies (2033)

akta.pro primary industry

Berry Farming (Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Cranberries) (AFAGACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Greenhouse Fruit & Berry Production (Strawberries, Specialty Fruits) (AFAGAHAB), Farmers’ Markets & Farm Stands (Fresh Food) (CRAHAHAE)

Keywords

• Soft fruit farming
• Fruit production
• Farm shop retail
• Value-added preserves
• Agritourism experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

Laurencekirk

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Farm Shop and Café Retail: On-site farm shop and café generating direct sales from fruit, preserves, ready-made meals, home bakes and beverages to visitors. Open seven days a week, Monday–Friday 10am–4pm, Saturday–Sunday 10am–5pm.
2. E-commerce / Online Orders: Online ordering with UK delivery for hampers, preserves, gift vouchers and food products. Delivery to UK addresses for £5.
3. Wholesale / Supermarket Supply: Packs and supplies premium Scottish soft fruit to major UK supermarkets, primarily Marks & Spencer, Tesco, Waitrose and Lidl, generating B2B wholesale revenue.
4. Farm Shop and Café: On-site café and farm shop serving food and beverages to visitors. Café open seven days a week. Also sells Castleton-made preserves, jams, vinegars, syrups, mayonnaise and other value-added food products.
5. Farm Experiences and Events: Revenue from experiential offerings including soft fruit farm tours, jam-making workshops, kids' activities, and special events. Also offers private hire of the café space.
6. Wholesale to Retailers: Fresh Castleton fruit sold through regional retailers including Scotmid stores, and wholesale supply of preserves and value-added products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Castleton Farm grows and supplies premium Scottish soft fruit — strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and cherries — across more than 400 acres of polytunnel-protected cultivation in Aberdeenshire. The farm manufactures value-added food products including jams, preserves, syrups, hemp oil, and the award-winning Hemp Oil Mayonnaise and Strawberry Tart Jelly, and sells through its on-site farm shop and café, an e-commerce store with UK delivery, and wholesale supply to major UK supermarkets.

Product overview

Castleton Farm operates as a diversified agritourism business combining fruit farming, food manufacturing, and retail/hospitality services. The core offering centers on fresh soft fruit production (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, cherries) grown across their Aberdeenshire farm, supplemented by a range of value-added food products manufactured on-site including jams, preserves, syrups, and the award-winning Strawberry Tart Jelly and Hemp Oil Mayonnaise. The business operates a farm shop and café as retail outlets, while also offering experiential products including farm tours, kids' jam-making classes, and the Castleton Classics Afternoon Tea. Gift hampers (Taste of Scotland, Wee Taste of Scotland, Cheese & Wine, Taste of Castleton) and seasonal offerings like Christmas food orders complete the product portfolio. The operation maintains strong Scottish provenance credentials with a #supportlocal supplier network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Farm Shop Retail farm shop selling fresh fruit grown on the farm, preserves, jams, chutneys, syrups, and regional Scottish produce, open seven days a week with #supportlocal branding.
• Farm Café On-site café serving breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, cakes, and seasonal specials made with farm-grown produce and local ingredients, with a conservatory area and farm-themed play equipment.
• Fresh Soft Fruit Fresh strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and cherries grown on the farm, hand-picked, quality-checked, and sold in punnets at the farm shop, café, and to local retailers including Scotmid and major UK supermarkets.
• Preserves Range Range of jams including Strawberry Jam, Blueberry Jam, Raspberry Jam, Trio Berry Jam, and Marmalade, all made with farm-grown fruit, priced at £3.95 per jar.
• Fruit Syrups Natural fruit syrups made from farm-grown soft fruits including Blackberry Syrup, Raspberry Syrup, and Strawberry Syrup, made with no artificial colours or preservatives, priced at £3.50.
• Strawberry Tart Jelly Award-winning strawberry tart glaze made with real fruit, packed with natural flavour, containing no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives; won Best New Retail Product at 2017 North East Scotland Food & Drink Awards, priced at £3.75.
• Hemp Oil Mayonnaise Mayonnaise made from a unique blend of Scottish rapeseed oil and farm-grown hemp oil, awarded a Great Taste Award by the Guild of Fine Food; vegetarian and gluten-free, available in retail jars from June 2024.
• Castleton Classics Afternoon Tea Themed afternoon tea experience featuring traditional Castleton favourites including Macca, Peppy steak dish, Breaded Haddock, Cullen Skink, Balmoral Panini, scones, meringues, shortbread, and traybakes; priced at £25 per person, served daily from 2.30pm with 24-hour advance booking.
• Taste of Scotland Hamper Luxury hamper filled with Scottish food and drink including Castleton Vinegar, Duncan's of Deeside shortbread and oatcakes, local cheeses, artisan chocolates, local honey, miniature gin, and mincemeat pies; priced £98–£120.
• Wee Taste of Scotland Hamper Smaller hamper featuring local beer, Duncan's Oatcakes, Little Doone, Castleton Chutney, Castleton Jam, Leanne's Tablet, local miniature gin, and mincemeat pies; priced £42–£63.
• Cheese & Wine Hamper Hamper containing Sauvignon, Merlot, two Castleton chutneys, two Snowdonia cheeses, and oatcakes; priced £60–£78 with delivery £8 or free collection.
• Taste of Castleton Hamper Hamper featuring Castleton products including jam, chutney, vinegars, syrup, marmalade, homemade mincemeat pies, homemade shortbreads, and Leanne's Tablet; priced £40–£56.
• Christmas Food Orders Festive food ordering service offering Barra Bronze turkeys, Maryfield Free Range turkeys, Christmas vegetables, ready-to-heat veg, ham, and accompaniments, with collection on 23rd and 24th December and local delivery available.
• Farm Tours Storytelling tours led by Norma Lyall covering the fruit journey from plant to punnet, including sensory experiences, bee pollination education, and berry tasting; options include family tours, cherry tours, jam-making workshops, and soft fruit tours.
• Kids Jam-Making Classes Summer holiday activity for children aged 5–10 where they pick their own strawberries and make freezer jam to take home.
• Sourdough Pizzas 12-inch sourdough base pizzas with fresh toppings including Balmoral (haggis, pulled chicken, peppercorn sauce), Margherita, Pepperoni, Hoisin Beef, Cajun Chicken, and vegan options; available for dine-in and takeaway at £10.95 each.

Quantifiable outcome

• 9+ million punnets of premium soft fruit packed per year
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cove Honey BeescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 July 2018Cove Honey Bees supplies essential pollination services to Castleton Farm, providing 100,000 bumble bees and 10,000 mason bees annually to pollinate approximately 10 million strawberry flowers, 20 million blueberry flowers, 1.6 million raspberry flowers, and 0.5 million cherry flowers. Founded in Spring 2014 with one colony, Brian's operation now has over 50 hives with 98% bred in-house. The partnership was formalised around 2017 when Cove Honey Bees focused on crop pollination for Castleton Farm in Fordoun.
• Marks & SpencercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor UK supermarket receiving the majority of Castleton Farm's premium soft fruit supply. Castleton's fruit is distributed through Marks & Spencer's national retail network.
• TescocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor UK supermarket supplied with Castleton's premium Scottish berries as part of the farm's wholesale distribution to major retailers.
• WaitrosecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPremium UK supermarket supplied with Castleton Farm's premium Scottish berries.
• LidlcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK supermarket supplied with Castleton's premium Scottish berries as part of the farm's wholesale distribution.
• Rora DairyminorOthersLocal Scottish producer whose yoghurt is featured in Castleton's farm shop and highlighted under the #supportlocal banner.
• Keptie BakeryminorOthersLocal Scottish bakery whose products are stocked in the Castleton Farm shop under the #supportlocal banner.
• Bel's Butcher of EdzellminorOthersTop quality local meat supplier whose products are stocked in the Castleton Farm shop and referenced in café menus.
• Ingram's AberdeenshireminorOthersLocal supplier featured in the Castleton Farm shop and Christmas food offerings. Provides Aberdeenshire produce under the #supportlocal banner.
• Peter Stoppel / Cerasina Cherry VarietiescoreTechnology or IntegrationCastleton Farm has invested substantially in Cerasina cherry varieties from German breeder Peter Stoppel, with exclusive rights to grow these late-season cherry varieties. This enables Castleton to harvest cherries later than nearly any other farm in the world.
• ScotmidminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional Scottish retail chain stocking fresh Castleton strawberries in its stores across the area.
• Duncan's of DeesideminorOthersLocal producer whose shortbread and oatcakes are included in Castleton's gift hampers.
• Wark FarmminorOthersLocal producer whose pork pie is featured on the café menu and on the Castleton Classics Ploughman's Board.
• Stephens of GourdonminorOthersLocal fish supplier providing fresh haddock for the Castleton Classics Afternoon Tea and café fish dishes.
• Bannerman ButchersminorOthersLocal butcher supplying steak for the Peppy dish on the Castleton Classics menu.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Wemyss Bay Fruit Farm: Scottish soft fruit farm offering pick-your-own, farm shop and wholesale soft fruit. Comparable to Castleton as a Scottish soft fruit grower with farm shop and PYO experiences, though operating at smaller scale and further west.

Direct peers

• S&A Produce: UK strawberry and soft fruit specialist supplying major retailers. Comparable to Castleton as a UK fresh berry producer with vertically integrated growing, packing and retail-ready operations.
• Hall Hunter Partnership: Major UK soft fruit grower producing strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries for UK supermarkets including M&S, Tesco, Waitrose and Lidl. Directly comparable to Castleton in crop mix, polytunnel-based production and supermarket wholesale model.
• Hugh Lowe Farms: Large UK berry grower in Kent producing strawberries, raspberries and blackberries for UK retailers. Comparable to Castleton in crop mix, supermarket supply relationships and premium berry positioning, though located in southern England rather than Scotland.
• Total Berry Company: UK-based soft fruit supplier growing strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries. Comparable to Castleton in crop mix and supermarket wholesale distribution model, though with a different geographic footprint.
• Angus Soft Fruits: One of the UK's largest soft fruit growers, based in Scotland, supplying major UK supermarkets with strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries. Closely comparable to Castleton in crop mix, geographic base, wholesale customer profile and vertically integrated packhouse operations.
• Wilkin & Sons (Tiptree): Heritage Essex-based fruit grower and preserve maker (jams, conserves, condiments) with a tea room and farm shop. Comparable to Castleton's vertically integrated fruit-growing-plus-preserve manufacturing model, farm shop/café retail and D2C/hampers e-commerce.
• Berry Gardens Ltd (BerryWorld): UK berry marketing group supplying Tesco, Sainsbury's and other major grocers with strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries. Comparable to Castleton as a UK soft fruit supplier serving supermarket channels with a similar product mix.
• Mackays Preserves: Scotland-based preserve, marmalade and condiment manufacturer stocked in UK supermarkets and independent retail. Comparable to Castleton's value-added product line (jams, chutneys, syrups) and Scottish provenance branding, though Mackays does not grow its own fruit at Castleton's scale.

Broad incumbents

• Driscoll's: Global berry market leader operating across strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries with UK production and major UK supermarket listings. Comparable to Castleton as a competitor in the same berry categories on the same UK supermarket shelves, but operating at vastly greater global scale and across multiple geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/castletonfarm
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC2uY--8sAfB29GA6qRCQRIg
• Facebookfacebook.com/CastletonFarmShopandCafe
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/castletonfarm
• Instagraminstagram.com/castletonfarm
• TikToktiktok.com/@thecastletonfarm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 Castleton Farm