HOWARD FARMS LIMITED

What HOWARD FARMS LIMITED does

Howard & Co Farming Ltd, trading as Howard Farms, is a fifth-generation family farming partnership established in 1888 at Little Morton Farm near Retford, Nottinghamshire, with secondary operations at a hill farm near Ambleside in the Lake District. The company operates a diversified rural business spanning fresh produce, livestock, renewable energy, contract farming services, and holiday accommodation. Core production includes Chantenay carrots, parsnips, and cereals grown across seven counties in the Midlands and East Anglia, alongside outdoor-reared grass-fed beef cattle managed within a whole-farm crop rotation system designed to replenish soil nutrients. A 14.3 MW solar farm at Little Morton generates renewable energy for approximately 4,700 homes, and Grove Cottages provides self-catering holiday accommodation at the Ambleside site.

Howard Farms monetizes through five distinct revenue streams: (1) contract farming and land rental agreements with landowners, investors, and retiring farmers, structured as management fees and shared crop proceeds; (2) fresh produce sales channeled exclusively through Fresh Growers Limited, a cooperative of which Howard Farms is a founder member; (3) livestock sales via grass-fed beef transactions; (4) grid energy sales from the solar park; and (5) holiday cottage bookings. The technical backbone includes specialist low ground pressure self-propelled harvesters and a bespoke crop forwarding rig that minimize soil disturbance during harvesting, supporting BPS compliance and the company's Integrated Farm Management posture as a LEAF supporter. GTM is enterprise field sales, executed through direct outreach by the Howard family leadership (Andrew Howard, Joe Howard, Ian Bower) and via the cooperative and industry partnerships.

Name

HOWARD FARMS LIMITED

Legal name

Howard & Co Farming Ltd

Website

https://howardfarms.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1888

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Howard & Co Farming Ltd is a fifth-generation Nottinghamshire family farming partnership operating diversified rural assets including Chantenay carrot and parsnip production across seven UK counties, a 14.3 MW solar farm, grass-fed beef, contract farming services, and Lake District holiday cottages.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mixed Agricultural Farming and Land Management

NAICS

Other Crop Farming (1119), Oilseed and Grain Combination Farming (111191), Soil Preparation, Planting, and Cultivating (115112)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Agricultural Services (700), Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)

akta.pro primary industry

Other Specialty & Industrial Crop Farming (Emerging/Regional Specialty Crops) (AFAGAGAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mixed Cereal & Grain Farming (Multiple Grains) (AFAGAAAH), Natural Resources — Farmland & Agriculture (FSAAAKAI)

Keywords

• Contract farming services
• Fresh produce farming
• Agricultural land management
• Renewable energy generation
• Holiday cottage letting

Headquarters

HQ city

Retford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Contract Farming Services: Managing farmland owned by others through contract and rental agreements, providing land management solutions for investors and retiring farmers. Revenue generated through management fees and shared crop proceeds.
2. Agricultural Produce Sales: Growing and selling Chantenay carrots, parsnips, and cereals produced on company-managed land. Fresh produce is supplied to Fresh Growers Limited cooperative.
3. Livestock Production: Outdoor-reared, grass-fed cattle production integrated into whole-farm crop rotation system.
4. Solar Energy Generation: 14.3 MW solar farm at Little Morton generating renewable energy, producing revenue through energy sales to the grid.
5. Holiday Accommodation: Grove Cottages holiday cottage business operating near Ambleside in the Lake District.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Howard Farms is a diversified 5th generation family farming partnership that grows and sells Chantenay carrots, parsnips, cereals, and outdoor-reared grass-fed beef, manages farmland for landowners and investors via contract and rental agreements, operates a 14.3 MW solar farm producing renewable energy, and runs Grove Cottages self-catering holiday accommodation in the Lake District. All fresh vegetable produce is supplied to the Fresh Growers Limited cooperative, of which Howard Farms is a founder member.

Product overview

Howard Farms is a diversified rural family business operating as a 5th generation farming partnership. The company operates a multi-faceted business model comprising: (1) fresh produce production - Chantenay carrots and parsnips supplied through Fresh Growers Ltd cooperative, along with cereals; (2) livestock - outdoor-reared grass-fed beef cattle produced within a whole-farm crop rotation; (3) renewable energy - a 14.3 MW solar farm powering approximately 4,700 homes; (4) contract farming services - managing land for investors and retiring farmers; and (5) rural tourism - Grove Cottages holiday accommodation in the Lake District. The business combines traditional farming techniques with modern business practices, emphasizing sustainable and integrated farm management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Grove Cottages: High quality, self-catering accommodation on Grove Farm near Ambleside in the Lake District.
• Little Morton Solar Park

Products and services

• Contract Farming Services Land management and farming services offered to landowners, investors, and retiring farmers, covering management of single fields to whole farms, specialist vegetable production, beef, dairy, BPS compliance, and farm record keeping.
• Chantenay Carrots Traditional Chantenay carrot variety grown on company-managed land across seven counties in the Midlands and East Anglia, supplied through the Fresh Growers Limited cooperative.
• Parsnips Root vegetable grown in rotation with other crops as part of the company's fresh produce range, supplied through the Fresh Growers cooperative.
• Cereals Grain crops grown as part of whole-farm rotation, contributing to sustainable food production.
• Outdoor-Reared Grass-Fed Beef Cattle produced in a whole-farm crop rotation system designed to naturally replenish nutrients and improve soil fertility.
• Little Morton Solar Park 14.3 MW solar farm located at Little Morton farm, generating renewable energy supplied for approximately 4,700 homes.
• Grove Cottages High-quality self-catering holiday accommodation operated on Grove Farm near Ambleside in the Lake District.
• Carrot Land Leasing Rental opportunities for landowners with suitable irrigated land in seven counties for Chantenay carrot production, with flexible arrangements during production periods.
• Spraying and Irrigation Services Contract-based crop spraying and irrigation services offered to farmers, dependent on field location.

Quantifiable outcome

• Solar farm generates enough green energy for 4,700 homes
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fresh Growers LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFresh Growers Limited is the Co-operative Producer Organisation that markets all of Howard Farms' vegetable produce. Howard Farms is a founder member of this cooperative, which also provides technical information on crop production. This is a strategic partnership central to the company's produce distribution.
• LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHoward Farms is an active supporter of LEAF, a charity body that promotes the benefits of Integrated Farm Management. The partnership supports sustainable farming practices and provides access to best practices in environmental stewardship.
• ChantenayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with the Chantenay brand website which provides nutritional information, where to buy, and recipe ideas for Chantenay carrots. Howard Farms is one of the growers supplying Chantenay carrots to the market.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Produce World: UK-based grower and packer of root vegetables and brassicas supplying major retailers. Comparable customer base (fresh produce retailers) and crop focus to Howard Farms' carrot and parsnip operations.
• G's Fresh: One of the UK's largest fresh produce growers, supplying a wide range of root and leafy vegetables to major retailers. Direct comparator to Howard Farms' Chantenay carrot, parsnip, and cereal operations, though at much larger scale.
• T H Clements & Son: Lincolnshire-based family-run grower specialising in brassicas and root crops including carrots and parsnips. Highly comparable crop mix and UK family-farming operating model to Howard Farms.
• A H Worth: Multi-generation family farming business producing potatoes, root vegetables, and cereals in the UK. Similar operating profile to Howard Farms with diversified crop production and family ownership.
• Barfoots of Botley: UK grower of vegetables including root crops with a strong sustainability and regenerative agriculture focus. Comparable to Howard Farms' integrated rotation and supply-cooperative distribution model.

Broad incumbents

• Spearhead International: Large UK and European fresh produce group operating across multiple crop categories. Overlaps with Howard Farms' carrot and vegetable production but at broader portfolio scale.
• Fresca Group: UK fresh produce supplier and category manager serving retailers, with grower relationships across multiple crops. Comparable downstream channel to Howard Farms' Fresh Growers supply relationship.
• Bakkavor Group: UK-listed fresh prepared food manufacturer with vertically integrated salad and vegetable growing operations. Adjacent comparable for produce sourcing and UK farming scale, though predominantly a downstream processor.
• Cranswick plc: UK food producer with integrated pig farming and primary processing operations. Comparable diversified rural business model and family-controlled history, though oriented to protein rather than produce.

Others

• Fresh Growers Limited: Co-operative producer organisation of which Howard Farms is a founder member and primary customer. Included as a comparison reference for Howard Farms' go-to-market channel rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/howard-farms-limited

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 HOWARD FARMS LIMITED