Bringing home the bacon: Andrew Freemantle

If pig farmer Andrew Freemantle's untraceable good cheer is anything to go by, pork has got to be good for the soul. The success of his direct sales business, which now has two farm shops under his Kenniford Farm brand, indicates that it can be good news for the wallet as well.

Andrew began his extensive farming demand for pork was vet strong, partly operation in early 1994 when because of the BSE crisis. But changes were ahead. ''The good times ended in 1998 when global over-production and currency movements led to a price slump”, he recalls. Andrew quickly that he would have to use his own initiative to regain former levels of profitability.

The first step was to open a shop in a previously disused building on the farm and stock it with his to own pork and a select number of other local products. An advertising sign was erected beside the nearby A3052 road, the main route from Exeter to Lyme Regis used by 10 000 cars a day. At the same time Andrew began to build up a solid core of local retail and catering outlets generally on a month's trial basis.

Kenniford Farm currently sells 80- 90 pigs a week - from a herd of 280 sows - with about half of these going to wholesalers. The retail animals are butchered at AC Hopkins, near Taunton, with the carcasses transported directly to Clarksons in Otter St Mary for processing and packing. ''Coordinating the killing, transport and distribution of the animals is critical'' says Andrew. ''It's important that customers receive fresh orders to replace those from the previous week which are nearing their expiry dates.''

The retail side of the business received a further boost in the summer of 2002 when Andrew and his wife, Helen, opened a second shop at St John's Farm, a leased 45 pitch campsite in Exmouth. Together with his attendance at local farmers' markets - Kenniford Farm is a regular at Exeter, Exmouth and otter St Mary - retail sales now account for around 60% of the business's turnover.

The virtues of Kenniford's product have been tasted at parties, wedding receptions and other celebrations throughout the county (''We've attended some good parties!'') where Andrew plies his trade in hog roasts. In summer 2003 he and his roasters attended 120 events and he reckons that during this time his product was sampled by around 10 000 people, each with the potential to spread the word to their own families and friends. Collaboration with local beef farmer Steven Slade of Rosamondford Farm, has also proved beneficial.

Andrew recognises that pigs are the ideal animal for direct selling because so much of the carcass can be utilised. ''Pork products were also the first fast food's, Andrew points out - and this makes sausages and bacon the ideal products for convenience stores to stock. Until now Kenniford Farm has not invested in product development as there is more than enough demand for their range or traditional items; Andrew is, however, currently looking at the possibility of new curing techniques for hams.

Despite all the achievements Andrew has notched up, he has one regret - that he didn't get into direct selling sooner. With more and more farmers turning to direct sales, though, it looks as though Andrew may be an inspiration for a new generation of farmers; he was recently named the SW finalist in the 2004 Farming Excellence Awards. Andrew came second in the National Young Farmer of the Year Contest.

Publication:  NFU Magazine
Publication date: July 2004