ACH FRUIT
We are a Top 5 UK tree and stone fruit grower-packer.
The business is one of the most progressive and successful tree fruit growers in the country and farms 500 acres of modern high intensity orchards growing apples, pears, cherries, plums and apricots.
Our orchard business is complemented by on-site cold storage, grading, packing, marketing and distribution operations at Hoaden Court, Ash.
ACH Farming has invested heavily in replacement orchards over a number of years and is producing more and more high quality supermarket grade fruit year on year.
ACH IMPORTS
ACH Imports was established to complement the core ACH Farming business enabling us to supply fruit for 52 weeks of the year. We specialise in the supply of Cherries, Stone Fruit, Kiwi Fruit and Exotic Fruit.
We keep it simple:
- We deliver the freshest products to our customers on time, every time, with the lowest possible cost chain
- We offer a consistent, sustainable and reliable service for both our growers and customers
- We partner with growers who mirror our ethical, socially responsible and environmentally friendly values
ACH CATTLE
The business runs approximately 350 suckler cows which are bred, fed and finished from our unit at Merton Farm, Canterbury.
All progeny are supplied to Waitrose on the Aberdeen Angus traditional breeds scheme.
All cows and calves and breeding heifers are mob grazed with daily moves. This massively increases the biodiversity of our 3 grazing sites. Our system is forage based with our straw and hay cropping having diversified into 10,000 bales for own use and sale across the year.
We also grow Maize which complements the milling wheat grown across the farm providing an excellent break crop and the opportunity to grow cover crops not only to feed the cattle but promote diversity within the rotation.
ACH ARABLE
As a traditional mixed farm arable cropping is important to us. We grow wheat, barley, oil seed rape, beans, oats, maize and grass seed crops. This is grown in rotation and supported by our own custom built grain storage facilities at Brook Farm, Wingham.
ACH POTATOES
Traditionally we have grown chipping potatoes but over the past couple of years we have increasingly grown potatoes on contract for the crisping market. The potatoes fit into our arable rotations and are supported by our own a custom built potato storage facilities at Brook Farm, Wingham.
ACH ASPARAGUS
In 2022 we were all excited to start growing a new crop. We see great potential for asparagus in our business which will make us an attractive place to work, offering our staff an extended harvest period and our customers a high quality product through innovation, new varietal options and tunnelled crop for early production. Watch this space!
HOADEN COURT WORKERS VILLAGE
In 2020 we formed an industry partnership with Pro-Force which is the leading UK Labour Provider to the horticultural, agricultural, fresh produce and industrial sectors.
Jointly we have made a significant investment in an industry leading accommodation site offering our staff a dedicated workers’ village boasting 54 mobile homes and approximately 300 bed spaces.
Hoaden Court Workers Village offers our staff best in class accommodation, facilities and welfare support and gives our customers confidence that our staff come first through the provision of:
- Full compliance with UK H&S standards
- Strict internal risk assessment programme
- External, independent audit checks
- Weekly maintenance checks
- On-site welfare support
- Suitable Wi-Fi, social and laundry facilities
- Dedicated accommodation management teams
- Free, regular shopping trips to local supermarkets
