Clock House Farm production director wins the Worshipful Company of Fruiterers Management Award 2024
Nick Deppe, production director at Kent soft fruit and apple grower Clock House Farms, has been awarded the Fruiterers Management Award 2024.
The Worshipful Company of Fruiterers selected Deppe for this annual accolade in recognition of his outstanding achievements in horticultural management and dedication to sustainable agricultural advancement
Deppe’s career in farming began in his youth when he worked during the summer at Newmafruit in Canterbury, Kent. His career formally took off in 1996, at the age of 18, when he joined Clock House Farm in Coxheath, Kent.
Encouraged by current Clock House Farm chairman Robert Pascall, Deppe earned a formal qualification in horticulture through a two-year day release course at Hadlow College, gaining an equivalent NVQ in top and soft fruit.
His technical skills and dedication saw him progress rapidly, taking on roles that honed his expertise, from managing crop spraying and irrigation systems to ascending through several leadership positions.
By 2021, he was appointed production director, marking a career defined by continuous growth and understanding of fruit production, and innovation in horticulture.
Clock House Farm’s growth trajectory, from its initial 1.2 hectares of strawberries and £800,000 turnover in 1996 to an impressive group £38 million in 2023, is a testament to Deppe’s vision and impact, the company said in a statement.
Under his management, the farm expanded to include Linton Growing, a subsidiary for plant propagation, as well as the establishment of a cutting-edge energy centre, heating crops using sustainable heat sourced from the nearby River Medway, extending the growing season of UK produced soft fruit.
”With his industry-leading approach to efficient and high-yield fruit production, Deppe’s contributions have garnered him professional acclaim,” a spokeswoman for Clock House Farm said.
