Old Plaw Hatch Farm

What Old Plaw Hatch Farm does

Old Plaw Hatch Farm Ltd operates a 200-acre community-owned biodynamic farm on the edge of the Ashdown Forest near Sharpthorne, West Sussex, established in 1984 and held in charitable trust by St Anthony's Trust. The farm has practised biodynamic agriculture — a regenerative, closed-loop approach based on Rudolf Steiner's principles — for forty years and manages close to 500 acres within a 12-mile radius as tenant farmers. Its core technical platform is the biodynamic system itself: a closed dairy herd of approximately 30 cows (no cattle bought in, TB-free, weekly laboratory pathogen testing, individual somatic cell counts), grass-fed Sussex beef cattle, sheep, Oxford Sandy and Black pigs, laying hens, and a 12-acre biodynamic garden. Raw milk is bottled on-site in reusable glass containers with a 50p deposit, and downstream dairy (Dutchman washed-curd cheese in multiple flavours, yoghurt, cream, kefir) is produced in an on-site dairy; meat is processed through an on-site butchery.

The business model is direct-to-consumer retail centred on the on-site farm shop and Coffee Barn, supplemented by a deliberately limited online channel shipping only wool products and kefir grains within the UK. Pricing is not publicly listed but reflects the farm's stated principle of recovering the true cost of food production; a 10p plastic-tub surcharge funds reusable glass jar infrastructure, and reusable glass milk bottles carry a 50p returnable deposit. Capital is raised through a 2025 Investors Group community loan programme (minimum £10,000, 4% gross, 3-year tenor, 12 quarterly repayments), reflecting the farm's inability to access traditional bank finance as a tenant. The primary customer segment is local Sussex consumers buying fresh biodynamic produce; secondary relationships include community investors and the Trussell Trust food bank network for produce donations.

Name

Old Plaw Hatch Farm

Legal name

Old Plaw Hatch Farm Ltd

Website

https://plawhatchfarm.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Old Plaw Hatch Farm is a 200-acre community-owned biodynamic farm in West Sussex that sells raw milk, dairy, meat and seasonal produce directly to local consumers through an on-site farm shop and a limited online channel.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biodynamic Farm Produce

NAICS

Sheep Farming (11241), Other Animal Production (1129)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Sheep Farming (Wool & Meat) (AFAEAFAA)

Keywords

• Biodynamic farming
• Raw milk production
• Organic dairy products
• Farm shop retail
• Community supported agriculture

Headquarters

HQ city

Sharpthorne

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Farm Shop Retail Sales: Onsite farm shop sells all farm produce including raw milk, cheeses, yoghurts, cream, beef, lamb, pork, and vegetables from the 12-acre garden. Also sells organic produce from local suppliers. Direct retail to local community.
2. Dairy Products: Raw milk, unpasteurised and unhomogenised, sold in reusable glass bottles with 50p deposit. Cheeses including Dutchman (washed-curd cheese aged with natural rind), yoghurts, cream, and kefir. Products only available from the farm shop.
3. Community Investment (Investors Group): Minimum £10,000 investment loans over 3 years with 4% gross interest, repaid in 12 quarterly payments. Raising capital for farm shop expansion from community investors. As tenant farmers with no assets to secure bank loans, the farm turns to its community for financing.
4. E-commerce (Limited Online Sales): Online shop for delivery of specific products: wool products and kefir grains only. Fresh produce not available for delivery — must be purchased directly from the onsite farm shop. Shipping via Royal Mail Tracked 24 within the UK only.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Old Plaw Hatch Farm is a community-owned, biodynamic mixed farm producing and selling raw (unpasteurised) milk, artisan dairy products, grass-fed meat, and seasonal fruit and vegetables directly to local consumers through an on-site farm shop. The farm operates a 30-cow closed dairy herd, a 12-acre biodynamic garden, and an on-site butchery, with all fresh produce available exclusively at the farm shop and only wool products and kefir grains available for UK online delivery.

Product overview

Old Plaw Hatch Farm operates as a mixed biodynamic farm with an integrated retail operation. The core offering is a diverse range of produce sold through an on-site farm shop, including raw milk, dairy products (cheeses, yoghurts, cream, kefir), meat (beef, lamb, pork), seasonal vegetables, fruit, eggs, and wool. Additional products available for mail order include wool and kefir grains. The farm also offers visitor experiences through its open farm policy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dutchman: A washed-curd cheese named after Philip Donker, the Dutch cheesemaker who first brought it to Plaw Hatch. Made in various flavours including unflavoured, chilli, cumin, and peppercorn.

Products and services

• Raw Milk Unpasteurised and unhomogenised milk produced from a closed dairy herd of approximately 30 cows, sold in reusable glass bottles with a 50p refundable deposit. Available exclusively from the on-site farm shop with weekly laboratory testing for pathogens and hygiene indicators.
• Dairy Products (Cheese, Yoghurt, Cream, Kefir) Artisan biodynamic dairy products including award-winning Dutchman washed-curd cheese (unflavoured, chilli, cumin, and peppercorn varieties), Cheddar, yoghurt, cream, and kefir grains. Products only available from the on-site farm shop, with a 10p surcharge on yoghurt and cream sold in plastic tubs to fund reusable glass jar infrastructure.
• Meat Products (Beef, Lamb, Pork) Grass-fed beef from Sussex cattle, lamb, and pork from Oxford Sandy and Black pigs, processed through the on-site butchery. Includes charcuterie and barbecue products. Available from the on-site farm shop.
• Fruit and Vegetables Seasonal fruit, vegetables, herbs, and flowers grown on the farm's 12-acre biodynamic garden. Biodynamic flower bunches are available weekly in the shop during summer. Available from the on-site farm shop.
• Wool Products
• Kefir Grains
• Investors Group Community Investment Loans

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 30 years of safe raw milk production with no major food safety incidents
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Trussell TrustminorOthers · 1 January 2020Trussell Trust supports a network of over 1,200 food banks across the UK. Plaw Hatch Farm has been involved since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in supporting local food banks to provide nutritious food to families suffering from food poverty.
• Sussex Lund (High Weald AONB Partnership)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Sussex Lund is a conservation project administered by the High Weald AONB Partnership providing funds for projects that increase the natural ecosystem in Sussex. Funding from Sussex Lund enabled Plaw Hatch to begin its hedgerow planting project along the main farm track in winter 2019, planting native deciduous tree species to form lasting hedges and increase biodiversity.
• St Anthony's TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSt Anthony's Trust holds the land and buildings of Plaw Hatch Farm in charitable trust, ensuring the land will be farmed on biodynamic principles in perpetuity. The farm business donated £50,000 to the trust for the Spring House build for farmer accommodation. The trust owns all farm assets and the farm operates as tenant farmers.
• Douch Partners LtdminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal sustainable building firm engaged for farm construction projects including the Spring House build (farmer accommodation) and the Pump House restoration project. Fabricated steel balustrade for the Spring House from Plaw Hatch oak milled on site.
• Nicolas Pople ArchitectsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerArchitectural firm designing the farm shop expansion. The design honours the current building and Sussex heritage.
• Organised (Film Production)minorOthersFilm production company approached the farm to create a short documentary about the story behind Plaw Hatch Farm and the raw milk produced. The documentary showcases the farm and its people.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Waltham Place: Waltham Place is an organic and biodynamic farm in Berkshire practicing holistic land management with educational visits and on-site retail. The shared biodynamic methodology, mixed farming approach, and educational/community focus make it a strong operational comparable.
• Tablehurst Farm: Tablehurst and Plaw Hatch co-operate through a joint AGM (September 2022) and share a community-owned biodynamic farming model. Both are similar-sized Sussex biodynamic farms with farm shops, mixed livestock, and direct-to-consumer retail — making Tablehurst the closest direct comparable.
• Sheepdrove Organic Farm: Sheepdrove is a multi-hundred-acre organic/biodynamic farm in Berkshire with its own farm shop, raw milk production, mixed livestock, and on-site butchery. The product mix and biodynamic methodology closely mirror Plaw Hatch's offering, making it one of the most operationally comparable UK peers.
• Heckfield Place: Heckfield Place is a Hampshire biodynamically-managed farm linked to a luxury hotel and restaurants, with a similar philosophy of closed-loop, regenerative farming. While the hospitality focus differentiates the business model, the underlying biodynamic farm operations and product positioning are highly comparable.
• The Community Farm: A community-owned organic farm in Somerset that sells organic produce directly to local households via box schemes and farm events. The community-ownership structure and DTC organic model align closely with Plaw Hatch's charitable trust and farm shop model.
• Riverford Organic Farmers: Riverford operates a comparable organic farm-to-consumer model, selling produce directly to households via box schemes and farm shops. While significantly larger and more distribution-heavy, both share the organic/DTC ethos, mixed farming, and direct customer relationships that define the segment.

Broad incumbents

• Rhug Estate: Rhug is a large organic farm in Wales with its own farm shop, butchery, and Bistro, selling organic beef, lamb, and other produce directly to consumers. It competes in the same premium organic DTC space as Plaw Hatch but operates at significantly greater scale with broader retail infrastructure.
• Daylesford Organic: Daylesford is a much larger organic farm business in the Cotswolds with multiple farm shops, cafes, and a strong DTC retail brand. While operating at significantly greater scale and a different price tier, it competes for the same premium organic-conscious consumer and overlaps with Plaw Hatch on raw milk, dairy, and mixed farm produce.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/plawhatchfarm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/old-plaw-hatch-farm-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Old Plaw Hatch Farm