FOOD & DRINK

Primrose Herd, a family business which has been supplying Cornish pork to retail customers and the hospitality trade for over two decades, has expanded to a new site in Newham on the outskirts of Truro.

Sally Lugg, who has grown the family operation just outside Redruth from just two pigs in 1999 to the producer it is today, said the new processing facility, office space and pop-up shop will allow Primrose Herd to keep up with growing demand.

She said: “Despite the challenges of the pandemic, demand continues to grow so it feels like the right time to expand into a new facility.”

Cornhill Farm from just outside Camborne was named Best Rural Food or Drink Business at the south west regional finals of the Rural Business Awards.

Cornhill will now go on to represent the south west at the national final of the Rural Business Awards in February.

Cornhill Farm is a mixed farming business based just outside Camborne. The Olds family have lived and worked on the farm since 1912. In more recent years, the family has expanded the farm to facilitate a chicken coup of 14,000 hens for its free-range enterprise. It also set up a contracting business alongside the work it does on the land.

Meanwhile, online retailer Cornish Food Box Company won the Best Rural Retail Business in the South West title.

Both businesses will go forward to represent Cornwall at national finals in February.

Curio Spirits has received a funding boost through the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Investment Fund (CIOSIF).

The Porthleven-based business has received a £102,413 loan made up of £89,376 from CIOSIF and £12,767 from SWIG Finance, who work with The FSE Group, the appointed CIOSIF fund manager, on delivering smaller business loans.

The funding will be used to develop its premises which will enable it to offer gin tasting, tours and allow customers to distil their own gin, creating three new jobs.

The independent artisan distillery was established by husband-and-wife team William and Rubina Tyler-Street back in 2014. William, who is a qualified master distiller, saw an opportunity to create a Cornish gin that mixed Asian flavours with top quality Cornish ingredients. To add to their product portfolio, they now produce vodka and rum, and have recently launched a popular new Hard Seltzer range of canned drinks.

William Tyler-Street said: “Rubina and I are really excited to be scaling-up the business and sharing our passion through the carefully crafted range of spirits which we have created. We are looking forward to the next stage of Curio Spirits journey which includes new products and an interactive visitor experience at Porthleven with tours, masterclasses and taster events. We’re extremely excited for the future and cannot wait to get stuck in.”

Wing of St Mawes has been named the national Fishmonger of the Year by readers of Great British Food Magazine.

The Indian Queens-based business, which also won the regional south west title, has been supplying seafood to many of the UK’s top restaurants and hotels for the past 40 years, as well as through its online home delivery service, The Cornish Fishmonger. FATHER AND SON ROB (L) AND JACK (R) WING CELEBRATE THE AWARDS WITH A SELECTION OF FRESH CORNISH FISH. Founder and MD, Rob Wing, said: “Our appreciation goes to those readers, judges and customers who voted for us – we are humbled by your support.”

Cornish beers have triumphed at this year’s International Beer Challenge.

Sharp’s Brewery and St Austell Brewery received a total of 13 accolades between them at the awards which this year saw entries from 40 countries in over 80 different categories.

St Austell took seven awards, including a gold in the lager category for korev, while Big Job double IPA and Proper Black IPA were also awarded gold.

Divine Intervention Abbey Quadrupel (13% abv) and Lansdown West Coast IPA, brewed by Bath Ales - which the company acquired in 2016 - took home silver. Belgian inspired brews, Cardinal Syn (7.8% abv) and Bad Habit (8.2% abv), were both awarded bronze.

Rock-based Sharp’s won three silvers within the ale category for Atlantic Pale Ale, Sea Fury and Wolf Rock, and bronze for Doom Bar in the same category.

In addition, Offshore Pilsner won bronze in the lager category and exclusive collaboration with neighbouring Camel Valley Vineyard, Sharp’s Camel Valley Pilsner also won bronze in the speciality beer classification.