Help local producers and #ShopLocal with these food and drink businesses flying the flag for Suffolk
Home Farm, Coddenham Green, Ipswich | 01449 711055
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One of Suffolk’s premier lager breweries and one of the early pioneers of English craft lager, Calvors have become known for their distinctive take on the much-celebrated lager styles of Europe, together with a growing selection of international ales.
Calvors Brewery was created in 2008 to brew proper English lagers, without compromise. Their beers challenge the flavour and integrity of mass-produced brews and you won’t find any of those nasty chemicals or preservatives!
Calvors multi-award-winning lager range includes the crisp, refreshing Helles 3.8%, the smooth, full-bodied premium Pilsner 5.0% , the biscuity, malty Vienna 4.0%, the dark, complex Dunkel 4.5% and the stunning Dry-Hopped Lager 4.5%. But it’s not all about lager and Calvors selection of Pale Ales, IPA’s and exciting international styles continues to grow.
Enjoy Calvors lagers on draught across East Anglia, in cans from your local retailers, or direct from the brewery website.
White’s Fruit Farm, Ashbocking | 01473 890 111
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Bold by Nature: As a small family business based in rural Suffolk, James White has been making brilliant non-alcoholic juices and cordials for 30 years.
With no compromise on natural products with bold flavours. If a drink is going to be spicy (like Big Tom and our Zingers) it should be properly spicy. If it is beetroot juice (Beet It) it will be slightly earthy. And if it is the Lemon Refresher or Bramley apple juice it will be tangy – not sweet like far too many soft drinks. Its juices are the go-to for those simply not interested in a sugar kick.
But then it also produces single variety Cox and Russet apple juices, each with its own quite distinctive tastes. And with the Thorncroft range of hedgerow inspired cordials, Soil Association certified organic fruit and vegetable juices and Great Uncle Cornelius Refreshers, James White believes that everyone can find something amongst its drinks to adore.
Broadway Drive, Halesworth | 01986 873410
Due Fratelli means “two brothers” in Italian and nothing is more important to Jason and Graham Salter than family.
From their family run roaster based in Suffolk, started by their father back in 1979, they have captured the essence of Italian tasting coffee and nurtured it in the countryside of their local surroundings.
They ethically source all of their coffee and where possible direct from farm, forging long term transparent relationships with the farmers to bring you the best quality coffee and giving the farmer the best possible price.
Their roaster has been especially adapted for hand roasting meaning that everything is controlled by their senses, using sound, smell and watching the development of the roast by eye, meaning their roasting method and technique is truly artisanal.
Wheatacre, Beccles NR34 0AS | 01502 677208
info@wheatacrehallbarns.co.uk
The Pantry is set amongst Wheatacre Hall Farm an arable farm owned by the Burroughs family. The farm consists of 1,100 acres including a pedigree milking herd of 400+ cows plus their offspring and 12,000 free range laying hens. They also have eight luxury holiday cottages to rent on their site.
Arable crops grown on the farm are wheat, barley, oilseed rape, seed potatoes and maize/grass for livestock feed.
The farms are situated in an attractive part of the Suffolk/Norfolk border surrounded by the River Waveney.
Different enterprises on the farm are audited under many schemes thus assuring quality produced foods at all times. Milk is produced for a Arla and some local businesses. They also bottle their own milk which can be purchased from the pantry, this is raw milk and unpasteurised, but do also sell pasteurised milk, locally produced ice cream and yogurts.
Visits to the milking parlour are available to view the afternoon milking or morning if you wish to rise for a 4am start!
Burstall Lane, Sproughton, Ipswich IP8 3DH | 07768 088095
Facebook | georgina@oakhousefarm.co.uk
Embracing the true ethos of ‘farm to fork,’ Oak House Farm rears native and rare breed beef and pork, which is then sold from the farm butchery at Sproughton.
The farm is home to a herd of Suffolk Red Poll cattle, Old Spot and Large White pigs, all of which are reared to the highest welfare conditions. For example, sows have their piglets in free farrowing accommodation with no use of farrowing crates. All of the animals are fed on food grown predominantly on the farm. This year the business is even experimenting with replacing imported soya (the main source of protein for pigs) with home grown lupins.
In the butchery, the master butchers create beautiful meat from our home reared pork and beef and carefully selected, locally produced lamb and poultry. Whether you are looking for a midweek meal or something for a special occasion, it will be available in the butchery, at prices that represent excellent value for money.
• The Tiny Tipple Company
Unit 16, Mobbs Way Business Park, Mobbs Way, Oulton, Lowestoft NR32 3BE | thetinytippleco@gmail.com
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Amanda and Karen are two busy mum’s who decided they had a spare five minutes once upon a time. They launched The Tiny Tipple Company in 2016 from their Suffolk Kitchens and have grown organically since then.
They use Mother Nature’s harvest, to create fruit infused spirits and liqueurs. All of their fruits, berries and blooms are grown in East Anglia from hedgerows, local fruit growers and their own allotment. They only use pure grain spirits: Vodka, gin, rum, whisky and brandy. You won’t find any artificial flavourings, colours or preservatives in their tipples, just real fresh fruit flavours. Their tipples are made in small batches to ensure they maintain their high standard.
Their flavours are based on what they can pick and include their Great Taste award winners: Rhubarb Gin Liqueur and Gooseberry Vodka Liqueur. You can buy from the online shop and at several outlets throughout East Anglia.
Alder Carr Farm, Creeting St Mary, Ipswich IP6 8LX | 01449 721220
Alder Tree produce a stunning range of multi-award-winning ‘fruit cream ices’ on their family farm in the heart of Suffolk.
No ordinary ice cream, every tub is packed full of fruit (38%) and simply bursting with flavour. Made by hand, to a traditional family recipe, they use only fruit, cream and sugar, all 100% British. No flavourings, colourings or stabilisers (or any other ings or ers!)
With over 60 Great Taste Awards to date, The Guild of Fine Foods awarded their blackcurrant flavour the much coveted, Golden Fork for East Anglia in 2020, voting it one of the very best tasting products in the UK! “Exquisite, perfect in every way” (Judges review)
Widely available across Suffolk, or find the full range in their fantastic farm shop at Alder Carr Farm, near Needham Market, with butchery, bakery, deli, Courtyard Café and collection of craft and vintage shops.
10 High Street, Debenham, Stowmarket
Palfrey and Hall specialises in curing and smoking. They produce their own award winning bacon, gammons and hams using traditional methods on site and by hand. They use a personally developed dry cure on their back and streaky bacon and have their own smokehouse which uses proper Beech wood logs. Their gammons are Wiltshire cured, not too salty and matured longer for a depth of flavour. They also produce a Suffolk cured bacon and gammon using black treacle, spices, molasses and a dark porter beer, which is brewed in the village by Earl Soham brewery. This Suffolk bacon needs to be cooked over a low heat to gently caramelise the extra sugars which help balance the deep flavour of the beer.
• DJ Wines
Unit 3, The Winery, School Road, Monk Soham, Woodbridge
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Derek Jones, winemaker, continues to provide a fantastic range of products to tempt your tastebuds. The hugely successful white grape Bigod 1101 is now also available in red, great as an aperitif or dessert wine. His Monk’s mead, made using Suffolk Coastal heather honey, and his Damport (a fortified Damson wine) remain best sellers. But not to be forgotten are Bramble Whiskey and Sloe Gin, perfect winter warmers and they both make ideal Christmas presents. In addition, Derek has a range of fruit wines ranging from dry (his excellent Gooseberry) to sweet (Strawberry). He retains the personal touch by making in small batches, using natural techniques and with minimal intervention. Though not certified, all are suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Check out his website to see his full range of products, not to be missed!
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