Come 10 years ago AC Goatham exited supplying the wholesale markets when it became clear that it was no longer financially viable. It was not an easy decision, given that the business had been involved with the markets in some capacity since Arthur Conference Goatham founded it in 1947.
Today, his grandson Ross Goatham is planning to once again supply wholesalers as part of a business strategy that includes the opening of a new packing and distribution centre at Flanders Farm, near Rochester.
Like all fresh produce businesses, AC Goatham is looking to maximise the potential of all of its harvest. While it supplies supermarkets including Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons, as the industry is aware such operations want fruit at certain sizes.
Any fruit that does not meet supermarket expectations is then sent for juicing, among other uses. Ross Goatham thinks chefs and the foodservice sector should have an opportunity to buy this Class 1 product.
“We had to make a decision on operating as a wholesale business; at the time supplying supermarkets made more sense,” he says.
“We still feel we made the right decision but wholesale is where my dad [Clive] started and we have always wanted to go back into that side of the business, but it was a matter of how and when.
“This new venture does not conflict with our supermarket business because the fruit is a very different product. We’re going to be selling high-quality fruit that does not meet supermarket specifications in terms of size only. This is not so called ‘ugly fruit’ – the finish will be Class 1, it’s just that it is larger than the supermarkets require.
“Because the fruit is larger, it is perfect for the catering suppliers to use in food preparation. We are actively looking for wholesalers to supply. Again it’s another way of making use of the whole harvest.” While many firms talk of making every bit of the business work for its supper, one gets the feeling that Ross Goatham is particularly adept at making this a reality and with as little fuss as possible.
As we take a tour around the new packing site, which is being put together almost like a giant flatpack in a simple but very effective way, he cheerfully chats away about the drawn-out planning saga the company had to go through for eight years.
There is no hint in his voice of frustration – maybe a raised eyebrow – when he talks of how they had to negotiate Medway Council’s insistence that they take over an unsuitable industrial site a couple of miles away when they had a perfectly viable option at Flanders Farm.
“It’s a very exciting time for the company. We have been waiting for years to put this plan in place and finally we can move forward,” he adds.
“With the new packhouse, not only are the operations in one place but it also cuts down on road miles and is a far more efficient form of distribution. We are very proud of the effort and work that has gone into making this happen.
“We have our own orchards, but we also take fruit from a number of other growers and so the more we expand, the better the situation is for them too.
“With so much demand for British-grown produce, now is a great time to be pushing forward. The horsemeat situation has shown that squeezing prices and producers compromises the supply chain.“Consumers want to know where their food is coming from and British-grown produce ensures far better traceability.”
Currently, AC Goatham operates out of three sites. As part of the deal with Medway Council the Street Farm will be cleared and returned to a greenfield site, with its future use yet to be decided. Shrubbery Farm will be mothballed, while Griffin’s Farm will be used for third-party work.
When Flanders Farm becomes fully operational, it will be packing at full capacity 140,000 bins in a season, 3.5 million cases a year and some 15,000 cases a day on average.
AC Goatham is already on the verge of becoming the largest apple and pear grower in the UK, with an estimated 1.54m cases this year.
With such ambitious plans, soon Goatham’s produce will not just be in the nation’s fruit bowls, but also
on restaurant menus around the country. —
