Celebrating 10 years of Fodder

A Harrogate based farm shop and café are celebrating their 10th anniversary this month.

Fodder, based at The Great Yorkshire Showground was born out of one of the darkest times in British agriculture when Foot and Mouth struck in 2001. The Yorkshire Agricultural Society (YAS) wanted to create a business that would support local farmers and producers and the idea of Fodder was born

Heather Parry, Managing Director of Fodder, said: “When we first opened Fodder back in 2009, we never imagined it would turn out to be the size and stature that it is today.  Fodder stands for everything the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, as a farming charity, believes in – a passion for Yorkshire, its farmers and producers, whilst helping consumers to choose local. We want to say a big thank you to all our lovely customers, suppliers and supporters who have been with us on our journey.”

After planning permission and funding was secured, building work began to create Fodder as well as a new headquarters for YAS.  Her Majesty The Queen unveiled a plaque onsite to mark the start of the building work.

Before opening, Heather visited hundreds of local suppliers, to check the quality of products and the animal welfare/quality standards to ensure Fodder only sells the very best.

“It was a tough job but someone had to do it! We had to get it right, we wanted to really get to know the suppliers who were stocking our shelves and whose food and drink we were serving in the café. It’s just grown and grown from then and now we sell products from more than 430 local suppliers. For some, Fodder is their largest single retail customer and therefore our business is critical to their long term sustainability; a responsibility that we take very seriously. Others have told us that being in Fodder has given them a springboard to get into other farm shop and cafes thanks to our reputation. This is something we are very proud of.”

Fodder is the only farm shop and café in the UK which donates 100% of its profits to charity – the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, who use the money to organise the charity’s events including the Great Yorkshire Show, Countryside Live and Springtime Live as well as Countryside Days for 6,000 primary school, farmer health checks, support and networking groups for the farming community as well as grants to develop farms.

Heather said: “We can’t thank our loyal customers enough, as they are truly buying local and supporting Yorkshire’s finest producers and suppliers.

“In buying from Fodder, you are also supporting the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, so every joint of meat, cup of coffee or loaf of bread you buy is helping the farming community.”

For more information about Fodder visit www.fodder.co.uk