Ludlow Farmshop Named 2026 Large Farm Shop of the Year
The winners of the 2026 Farm Shop & Deli Retailer Awards were revealed on 13th April, when Ludlow Farmshop were crowned Large Farm Shop of the Year!
The largest category for 2026, Ludlow Farmshop beat off competition from nine other Large Farm Shop finalists including Denstone Farm Shop & Cafe from Uttoxeter, Forage Farm Shop from Cowbridge, Goat Shed from Norwich, Kenyon Hall Farm from Warrington, Low Sizergh Barn near Kendal, Oakchurch Farm Shop from Staunton-on-Wye, Robinsons Ltd from Isle of Man, The Garlic Farm from Isle of Wight, and Welbeck Farm Shop from Worksop.
This year’s event – delivered in partnership with The Grocer and championed by Fieldfare – brought together the finest examples of independent retail across the UK and Northern Ireland. Ludlow Farmshop captured the judges’ attention, earning praise from the judges, including:
“A great looking farm shop. Heavily driven by own produced product but good local focus too. Staff development good to see within promotion. Strong focus on sustainable practices. Website easy to use and well presented in such a big range of offerings. Social media used well and not overloaded.”
“Another example of how farm shops can be sustainable and shows where they have their future.”
“Set on a working farm, this farm shop excels with its unique, seasonal product range and outstanding serve over counters. A strong supporter of local suppliers, it combines authenticity with quality. Motivated staff deliver excellent service, driving a loyal, satisfied customer base.”
“A strong established business with exceptional local provenance, sustainability and community initiatives. More than just a shop, the business is a destination and places customer experience high on the agenda.”
“Scored full marks for sustainability, website and marketing, store layout.”
Ludlow Farmshop’s Managing Director, Paul Hill, says, “This award is a testament to everything the entire team at Ludlow Farmshop does. Each and every member of staff has played a vital role in us achieving this accolade and I am extremely grateful for all their hard work, commitment and dedication to get to where we are today. We are so proud that our site has become a destination that our customers enjoy visiting and being recognised with this award is a huge achievement.”
The judging process
The awards follow an extensive evaluation process. Entries underwent detailed online assessment by industry experts, followed by a November in-person judging session to determine the shortlist. Secret visits conducted in January and February provided judges with an authentic insight into the business, ultimately shaping the list of this year’s winners.
Celebrating excellence in specialist retail
The coveted accolades celebrate the best specialist independent retailers with judges recognising retailers’ achievements in the independent sector.
Nigel Barden, Chairman of Judges and Food and Drink Journalist and Broadcaster, says: “Even in a year where many retailers have approached things carefully, the Farm Shop & Deli Awards have continued to thrive. We’ve been hugely encouraged by the exceptional standard of entries, and we truly appreciate every retailer who made space in their busy schedules to get involved. Our outstanding judging panel remains a major strength of the awards, and welcoming new judges added even more expertise to the process.
“To ensure our results reflected real excellence, we carried out additional visits – including assessments of online retailers – so every winner was chosen with absolute clarity. Alongside our category honours, we were delighted to celebrate regional winners, an impressive newcomer, and several Highly Commended businesses in tightly contested areas. It has been incredibly uplifting to see the creativity, determination, talent and graft of so many remarkable retailers recognised and celebrated.”
