Suffolk is famed for its food and drink, with many products made here becoming known across the UK and even abroad. Here we spotlight 30 of our local producers.
Adnams Brewery, Southwold
These celebrated Suffolk brewers have been in business for 150 years, but beer has been brewed on the same site in Southwold for even longer – at least 670 years. Dedicated Adnams shops stock the full range, with the beers on taps at many local pubs. Popular choices include Ghost Ship Pale Ale, Southwold Bitter and Wild Wave Cider. Adnams are also famed for their wines and spirits.
adnams.co.uk
Alder Tree Ice Cream, Creeting St Mary
This multi-award-winning ice cream was launched in 1989 by Alder Carr Farm to use a bumper crop of raspberries. Today, there are 12 different flavours, made using local fruit and British cream and sugar, including blackcurrant, strawberry, summer berries, damson, and stem ginger and rhubarb. Alder Tree is now available in Cook stores nationally and you can also find a list of stockists on its website.
alder-tree.co.uk
Aspall Cyder and Vinegar, near Debenham
Nearly 300 years ago, Clement Chevallier planted the first large-scale cyder orchards in Suffolk. His descendants are still producing traditional cyders, pressed at the original Aspall Cyder House. The company is also known for its cyder vinegars, which have been produced for more than 50 years. Aspall’s Raw Apple Cyder Vinegar with Honey received two stars in the Great Taste Awards 2024.
aspall.co.uk
B Chocolates, Woodbridge
Founded in 2013, this tiny artisanal confectionery business makes caramels and filled chocolates using raw honey sourced from local beekeepers. It also uses fresh cream and Suffolk sea salt to make caramels and adds local fruits, nuts, herbs and flowers wherever possible in truffle combinations. The range of chocolates varies with the season. The business has won a long list of Great Taste Awards.
bchocolates.co.uk
Butterworth & Son, Bury St Edmunds
As specialist coffee roasters and suppliers of fine teas, Butterworth’s works with the trade as well as supplying retailers. Coffees from around the world are roasted and blended at the company’s Suffolk roastery. It offers single-origin coffees as well as blends, with a choice of teas including its Suffolk Special Blend. The Butterworth’s online shop includes options for taster packs and subscriptions.
butterworthandson.co.uk
Choose Spice, Ipswich
If you’re looking for an alternative to bland shop sauces, how about some hand-crafted South East Asian tasty curry pastes? Choose Spice’s products are all homemade in their own kitchen, at The Cookhouse, to the rear of Suffolk Food Hall. It offers Goan, Sri Lankan and Rendang curry pastes, which are all winners of Great Taste Awards. Their website includes cooking instructions, hints and recipes.
choosespice.co.uk
Emmett’s Suffolk Ham, Peasenhall
The oldest artisan ham and bacon producer in the UK, Emmett’s was established in 1820. It still operates from its original premises in Peasenhall, which includes a shop, café and smokehouse. Emmett’s signature product is Suffolk Black Ham, which takes 10 weeks to make, including a period of marination in Nethergate Suffolk porter beer. The family business is also well-known for its Suffolk Black Bacon.
emmettsham.co.uk
Fans of French soft cheeses will enjoy Baron Bigod, the made at Fen Farm, using the milk from its free-ranging Montbeliarde cows. Living up to its aristocratic name, the Brie-style creation recently won the title of Best British Cheese for the third year running in the Fine Food Digest awards. Baron Bigod is stocked at various farm shops and delis. The dairy also produces its own butter and yoghurts.
fenfarmdairy.co.uk
Fishers Gin, Aldeburgh
There’s a definite flavour of the Suffolk coast to Fishers Gin. It has a unique botanical line-up, including rarer coastal plants like bog myrtle, rock samphire, wood avens and spignel, paired with flavours such as cardamom, caraway and fennel seed. Fishers Gin is distilled in small batches using the London Dry method, with several other gins also produced. Distillery tours and tastings can be booked.
fishersgin.com
Grandpa’s Cakes, Glemsford
Inspired by his father-in-law’s award-winning boiled fruit cake, owner Todd Lewis turned this family recipe into a brand. His small-batch bakery produces classic fruit cakes, wedding cakes and cakes for other special occasions from christenings and birthdays to anniversaries, as well as vegan and gluten-free recipes. Cakes are sent via Royal Mail to addresses across the UK. You can also order a fruitcake mix and bake your own.
grandpascakes.co.uk
Greene King, Bury St Edmunds
The historic company has been producing ales at its Westgate Brewery in Bury for more than 200 years. Its flagship brew, Greene King IPA, is described as an easy drinking session ale with a hoppy taste and aroma. Icebreaker and Hazy Day are other pale ales to try. Abbot Ale, which was added to the stable in 1951, takes its name from the town’s famous abbey.
greeneking.co.uk
Word has been spreading about this small winemaker near Bury St Edmunds. It was named as best vineyard in the East of England in the 2024 WineGB Awards and highly commended for its 2023 Pinot Rose wine, placed second in the nationwide competition as best rose. Its wines are sold almost exclusively at the cellar door. See the website to arrange a purchase and for details of tours and tastings.
hawkswoodvineyards.co.uk
Heart of Suffolk Distillery, Bacton
Based in Bacton, near Stowmarket, this small family-run distillery launched in 2018. Its signature product, Betty’s Gin, is styled on a London Dry Gin with a slight orange undertone. Also in its range are Rosie’s, a light, summery gin with floral undertones, and Ivy’s, with winter spices. Rosie’s won a silver award in the best floral gin category at the Gin To My Tonic Awards 2024.
heartofsuffolkdistillery.co.uk
Hillfarm Oils and Honey, Heveningham
If you’re looking for a sustainable British cooking oil, try Hillfarm’s premium rapeseed oil, grown and cold-pressed at the farm near Halesworth. Refill pouches of pure oil are available. There’s also a choice of infused oils, with flavours such as black truffle, white garlic, smoked chilli and smoky oak and applewood. Hillfarm produces its own set and runny honey, too.
hillfarmoils.com
The wonderfully-named Hodmedod’s has won many awards over the years. Founded in 2012 to supply products from British farms, the company is known for its beans, pulses, grains, seeds, flour and flakes. A wide range of items are available from its online shop, while its website includes details of the farmers producing its pulses and grains. (And, if you’re wondering, the name is Suffolk dialect for a snail!)
hodmedods.co.uk
James White, Ashbocking
Apple juice comes in several different flavours from James White, including russet, Cox and Bramley as well as apple with berries, elderflower or ginger. You can also choose from various other fruit and vegetable juices, including carrot, prune and Beet It organic beetroot juice. Another popular product is Big Tom, a spicy tomato juice designed to ensure you serve up the perfect Bloody Mary.
jameswhite.co.uk
Real chocolate, not cocoa powder. That’s the motto of Marimba, which makes five types of hot chocolate melts at its ‘flakery’ in Bury St Edmunds. Ruby is its newest variety of chocolate, made from selected cocoa beans from Brazil, Ecuador and Ivory Coast. It also produces hand-made boxed chocolates and truffles, and special gifts including buttons and giant bunnies.
marimbaworld.com
The oldest independent brewery in East Anglia, Mauldons is set on the 3,000-acre Nedging Estate. It uses malt barley grown on its own estate farm and new-age hops cultivated in the UK. Its flagship brew is Silver Adder, a smooth, golden session ale. It also produces Black Adder, a full-bodied, rich stout, Suffolk Pride, a robust premium bitter, and Mole Trap and White Adder, both pale ales.
mauldons.co.uk
Munchy Seeds, Leiston
Fans of healthier snacking can’t resist these seeds, which are roasted, toasted and flavoured in Leiston. As a top artisan seed specialist, Munchy produces batches of single seeds or mixed seeds with up to nine different varieties in a batch. Savoury sprinkles include spicy peri peri, warm cumin and fennel and mild chilli, or choose sweet treats like salted caramel and warm cinnamon.
munchyseeds.co.uk
One of Suffolk’s best-known brands, the coffee company is based on Ipswich Waterfront, where it also runs a cafe. Its other café locations include Hadleigh. It produces whole-bean and ground batch roasted coffee, as well as its unusual ‘brew bags’, described as being ‘like tea bags, but for coffee’. Paddy & Scott’s works directly with farmers, with its Lunch Box coffee funding school meals in coffee-growing regions.
paddyandscotts.shop
Pinney’s of Orford
A local institution, Pinney’s is now run by the third generation of the family, who have grown oysters at Butley Creek since the 1950s. The owners also run a traditional smokehouse, providing smoked salmon and freshly smoked fish. The Orford shop is packed with smoked delicacies and local produce, and you can also order smoked fish, award-winning smoked eels and other items from their online store.
pinneysoforford.co.uk
Established over 140 years ago, Powters is one of Newmarket's oldest established family businesses. Its sausages are made using prime cuts of fresh East Anglian farmed RSPCA assured pork, blended with original spice recipes dating back to the 1880s. Powters has secured its first national listing on the Ocado website with four products, Newmarket Pig, Skinny Pig and two that are exclusive to Ocado, Scrumpy Pig and Chilli Pig.
powters.co.uk
Pump Street Chocolate
Real craft chocolate is made by hand at Pump Street’s chocolate factory at Bentwaters Parks near Woodbridge. It uses traditional methods from bean to bar, ethical sourcing, and only natural ingredients. Its artisan chocolate range features bars inspired by products at its small bakery and café in Orford. The range also includes craft drinking chocolate, made with varying percentages of single-origin dark chocolate.
pumpstreetchocolate.com
Purely Pesto, Leiston
A trip around Italy was the starting point for this Suffolk company. Founder Gavin took a sabbatical from work as a chef and enjoyed fresh handmade Italian pesto during his journey. He decided to create his own fresh pesto after returning to Britain. As well as the trademark rustic pesto recipes, products include hummus, olives, dips and sauces, all available via the online shop.
purelypesto.co.uk
Founded in 2004, this top Suffolk sauce brand is now exported to more than 50 countries and available in major supermarkets. All its quality sauces are made at the Old Stable in Rendlesham, including real mayonnaise, tomato ketchup, brown sauce, BBQ sauce, relishes and chutneys. Stokes has also branches out to produce other products including jams and marmalades, and runs its own food lovers’ club.
stokessauces.co.uk
Suffolk Distillery, Stoke by Nayland
Master distiller and chemist Gary Wilkinson decided to escape the rat race and focus on his passion for gin. The result was the Suffolk Distillery, which produces a range of gins using London Dry Gin production methods, but introducing a secret blend of botanicals to deliver a tantalising twist. Local ingredients range from strawberries to pure Suffolk honey and rhubarb grown on the banks of the River Stour.
suffolkdistillery.co.uk
This family business has produced ice cream locally for over 30 years, using Suffolk milk and sourcing its flavours from local suppliers wherever possible. It also follows original family recipes. Suffolk Meadow has over 40 different flavours available, and creates seasonal specials. In addition to ice cream, it produces sorbet, frozen yoghurt, ice cream cakes and plant-based frozen desserts.
suffolkmeadow.co.uk
The Whitehead family produce British charcuterie at their farm in Brundish, using carefully selected herbs and spices and their own Freedom Food approved pork. Their salami range includes Little Oinker, which scooped a gold award in the Great British Food Awards. The company also makes its own chorizos, as well as producing ham and bacon. See the website for a list of stockists, plus an online shop.
suffolksalami.co.uk
Wild Meat Company, Woodbridge
Based on a farm at Blaxhall, the Wild Meat Company specialises in supplying wild meat and game. Products available from its website range from diced venison and wild boar burgers to squirrel. It also offers special dishes for dinner parties, such as two and three bird roasts and game roulades. The company was crowned as national food and drink champion in the Countryside Alliance awards in 2024.
wildmeat.co.uk
One of Suffolk’s best-known vineyards, Wyken has 12,000 vines over seven acres, planted in 1988 on a north-facing slope. Its wines, available at its shop and restaurant, include Bacchus, a dry wine with a Sauvignon Blanc character and Moonshine, a sparkling wine with a blend of Pinot Noir and Auxerrois grapes. Both have won awards over the years. Wyken is known for the Leaping Hare restaurant, country store and gardens.
wykenvineyards.co.uk
