25 of Britain’s best regional food and drink producers

Britain’s food heritage is in the spotlight thanks to Speciality Food Magazine and Speciality & Fine Food Fair’s Regional Stars initiative: a project designed to uncover the businesses most passionate about sharing an authentic taste of their region with food lovers far and wide.

Twenty-five small-scale businesses were hand-picked from rafts of entries to share their inspiring stories of community spirit, dedication to traditional values, and hunger for showcasing the very best of their local area – and they are brought together in a special feature running in the June issue of Speciality Food Magazine. 

This group of passionate food lovers will join forces at Speciality & Fine Food Fair, taking place at Olympia on 9th-10th September 2025, where they will come together to celebrate the very best of Britain’s regional food and drink.

Holly Shackleton, editor of Speciality Food Magazine, said, “As a nation, we have a proud heritage of excellent produce and it’s exciting to see how these 25 businesses have not only joined forces with other producers to create supportive ecosystems in their local area, but worked tirelessly with a pure focus on quality to ensure that what they create is a celebration of the land under their feet. I’m proud to profile the following businesses in the pages of Speciality Food, and look forward to celebrating them in person at Speciality & Fine Food Fair in September.”

Nicola Woods, event manager of Speciality & Fine Food Fair, said, “This initiative is about more than just celebrating quality products, it’s about recognising the people behind them who are championing local sourcing, sustainability, and a deep-rooted connection to the place they call home. These producers are the heartbeat of the speciality and fine food sector. They work tirelessly, not only to craft exceptional products, but to champion independent business, support their local economies, and build genuine relationships with their customers and industry partners.”

Keep an eye on @specialityfoodmagazine and @specialityfair for details of the Regional Stars showcase at Speciality & Fine Food Fair 2025.

The best regional producers in Scotland

Pete Mitchell, The Farmers Son
Black pudding may be a world-famous taste of Scotland, but not all are made equally. Thankfully, Pete Mitchell, AKA The Farmer’s Son, has been inspired by 300 years of rural expertise from his family’s farm to create the ultimate taste of Scotland for breakfast tables everywhere. 

Bringing together produce from farmers within the local area, including oats from the family farm – now run by his parents – Pete has created a supportive network of farmers which feeds into The Farmer’s Son’s superb range of artisan black pudding, white pudding, haggis and traditional Lorne sausage. 

The range is handcrafted in small batches every day for optimum freshness, using sustainable practices including no-waste production and fully recyclable packaging on some products, and Pete is proud to be able to bring a century-old family recipe – showcasing the very best Scotch-assured produce – to discerning tables around the UK.

Matthew Kennedy, Jack & Jill’s
A love of the simple things, done well, is behind Jack & Jill’s - a venture founded by Matthew Kennedy as a result of a twist of fate: redundancy, followed by a stint house sitting at a property with fruit trees and berry bushes galore, which inspired memories of his mother making jams at home when he was young. 

Although the recipes his mother used were never written down, he has followed their philosophy to a t for his 15-strong flavour range – using prime Scottish fruit, sugar, pectin when needed and absolutely nothing else. This classic simplicity has made Matthew a culinary star in the local area, with customers regularly coming back for more, and even some being granted tailored products to suit their audiences.

Despite its popularity, Jack & Jill’s is still resolutely a one-man-band – save for Matthew’s wife, who helps out at weekends – and proud to champion and remain within the Scottish borders.

Marian and Simon Bruce, Highland Boundary
Foraging is a growing trend, but for Marian and Simon it’s a way of life borne from the desire to support and celebrate their local environment. Both come from a scientific background, and having bought and rewilded a rural property, and recognised its rich natural bounty, decided to dedicate their knowledge and lives to sharing its joys with the public.

The brand’s range of spirits offer a true taste of their local area; ingredients are foraged by hand from the couple’s property and from neighbouring land, and the selection they offer is expanding – recent launches include versatile syrups made from honeysuckle, gorse and Scots pine. 

Perhaps the most iconic product in Highland Boundary’s range is its Scots Pine Mugolio – a complex, maple syrup-like product made using hand-foraged pine cones which is unmistakeably Scottish.

The best regional producers in East Anglia

Richard and Trudi Wild, Number Eighteen
What started out as a hobby soon turned into a way of life for Richard and Trudi Wild, as their range of premium quality honeys took off in their local area of Suffolk. In an area rich with fruit farms, and an organic farm next door and wildflower meadow to the back of the property, the pair are blessed with the ultimate land on which to care for bees – and this shows in the product. 

There’s a delicious range available, all made by the on-site bees which travel up to three miles from the site, including everything from wildflower and Suffolk set honey to cold-smoked chilli honey – which packs a proper punch – and limited edition runs of borage, chestnut and lime honey. 

Being so in tune with the local environment has paid dividends for the business, with local customers appreciating the fact that the honey differs according to the time of year – as well as its entirely authentic taste of Suffolk.

Katherine Manning, Suffolk Meadow
From a family farm’s diversification project to a supremely popular business adored across its county (and beyond), Suffolk Meadow offers a delicious flavour of Suffolk life as well as a vital support network for farms in the local area. 

Having started in 1989 as a result of the family farm producing an excess of milk for its customers, the ice cream produced by Suffolk Meadow soon became a stalwart of the local food scene. Supplied to restaurants, caterers and farm shops – a discerning clientele – the family recipe and technique, gleaned from previous generations, is still being used today.

Milk from Suffolk cows is processed as minimally as possible for the brand’s ice cream, and the seasonal changes in the animals’ diet is accounted for with subtle recipe changes – akin to artisan cheeses, and just as appreciated.

Sarah Savage, Essence Foods
A passion for doing things properly is at the heart of Essence Foods, a preserve maker in the heart of rural Norfolk. Using real products and simple recipes to highlight the natural quality of fresh fruit has reaped rewards for the business, and their full transparency as proven especially popular with locals – who are welcomed into the on-site cafe, where a large window looks directly into the production kitchen. 

The team sources as locally as possible – but never at the expense of quality. Indeed, some of the fruit used in the preserves is still grown in the family’s garden, while herbs are grown on-site so the team can retain total control over its taste and quality.

Norfolk is known around the world for its mustard heritage – Colman’s roots lie deep in the county’s culinary history – and sister brand Monty’s is bringing a new generation of Norfolk-made mustards to the region thanks to its fields of mustard: a delicious new range for locals to be proud of. 

The best regional producers in Northern Ireland

Alanna Mckeever, Long Meadow Cider
PGI-accredited County Armargh Bramley apple juice runs through the heart and soul of Long Meadow Cider – a proudly family-run destination for apple lovers seeking a true taste of the region from far and wide. 

The business’s story begins two generations ago, with Alanna’s grandfather, who planted established apple trees and travelled to Dublin to sell the fruit. Just over a decade ago, with three generations of the family living on the farm, the team diversified into cider-making, and the brand’s range now covers juices and a unique 0.05% cider alongside its hugely popular range.

All apples used in production are hand-picked on the farm, and this tree-to-bottle philosophy has proven popular with locals and overseas visitors alike; indeed, the farm has come to play host to special occasions – birthdays, weddings and more – alongside its tours and tastings. 

A deliciously authentic taste of Northern Ireland, with family running through its core.

Patrick Black, Clandeboye Estate Yoghurt
Clandeboye Estate Yoghurt is a product truly rooted to its land. Founded by Lady Dufferin, owner of the Clandeboye Estate, in 2018 as a way to add value to the milk produced by her Friesian and Jersey cows, the brand has gained followers across Northern Ireland as a result of its unparalleled quality and dedication to keeping things simple. 

The range is delicious yet carefully curated. A Greek yoghurt-inspired method of straining the creamy milk, which was at that time totally unique to the region, helped put Clandeboye Estate Yoghurt on the map – and its audience keeps growing, drawn to its stunning quality as well as its beautiful provenance.

Sustainable farming and production models have been employed at the business too, meaning that customers can be confident that not only is the yoghurt they’re eating providing them with an honest taste of County Down, but that it’s benefiting the environment too.

Michelle Wilson, Crawfords Rock Seaweed
A 300-year-old family tie to the bay from which it sources its produce, and a passion for celebrating and supporting the environment, runs through Crawfords Rock Seaweed’s range of seaweed, seasonings, oils and other store cupboard staples.

For three centuries, Michelle Wilson’s family has sustainably harvested seaweed from its local waters – resolutely sticking to wild seaweed, never cultivated, in a passionate effort to retain the quality of their range as well as the health of the region’s ecology and wildlife.

Foodies keen to know more are welcomed to the bay, where they will be invited to bathe in the water and cook the seaweed alongside locally-caught fish and shellfish for a truly authentic taste of the Kingdom of Mourne. 

The best regional producers in the South West of England

Barrie Gibson, Fowey Valley Cider
A cider-making hobby, fuelled by fruit from Barrie and Geraldine Gibson’s four apple trees, soon turned into a community affair when fruit from the local community’s trees was shared to be hand-pressed – and this spirit of connection still runs through the heart of Fowey Valley Cider, located on the banks of River Fowey and established in 2019.

The small team behind the business belies the quality of its flagship product: a multi award-winning Champagne-style cider, which sits alongside a carefully curated range of spirits. 

While the scale of the business has certainly grown since its humble beginnings – it now offers gin and cider-making courses and tours as well as an on-site and online shop – it remains true to its original ethos of celebrating West Country produce. For example, the base spirit at the foundation of its handcrafted spirits range is made by pressing and fermenting the finest regional fruit.

Time honoured skills, local produce and a love of the humble apple collide in this authentic taste of the West Country.

Steve Williams, Good Game Charcuterie
Artisanal techniques and a passionate eye for quality are the key drivers for Steve Williams and his team at Good Game Charcuterie, who produce a range of cured meat products including salamis, coppa, bresaola, chorizo, pancetta and guanciale.

Traceability is also of vital importance, with only meat from locally-reared free-range pigs, and grass-fed Devon Ruby or Devon Wagyu cows. 

This attention to detail has won Good Game a sizeable fanbase in the local area, who are also able to enjoy the team’s delicious produce at their restaurant, the South West Pizza Company.

By using only native breed animals sourced from local producers and farmers – exclusively those who have enjoyed full lives outdoors – Good Game is able to guarantee optimum enjoyment and an honest taste of Devon. 

Ann and Fergus Muller, Ann’s Pasties
The story of Ann’s Pasties has humble beginnings, with Ann selling pasties outside her home in Cornwall’s Lizard Peninsula, but the business has gone on to become one of Cornwall’s most popular must-eat products – for both locals and visitors, who are delighted to be able to order this true taste of the region’s fare from home. 

Ann’s son Ferg now runs the business and has grown it with aplomb, opening shops to make it even more of a destination for lovers of authentic Cornish produce.

Despite its growth, Ann’s Pasties is passionate about celebrating the produce created within a 10 mile radius; not only does this guarantee quality, with the team able to keep a close eye on proceedings, but it gives them the opportunity to support local farmers and producers too. 

Andy Venn, Somerset Charcuterie
Co-founder Andy’s Growing up in a family of farming and learning butchery skills at the on-site farm shop have been key to the success of Somerset Charcuterie, which was founded when he and a friend – James – discovered that they were both tinkering with charcuterie-making as a hobby.

Being a farmer’s son allowed Andy good access to local farmers who were willing to rear pigs for the business, and they opted for rare breeds to optimise flavour and quality. Rearing the animals slowly takes time but the perseverance pays off in the form of an exemplary selection of charcuterie, ranging from regional award-winning Black Down ham to lomo, lonzo, and free-range duck pancetta.

By partnering exceptional locally-reared meat with ingredients sourced nearby, offering an honest taste of Somerset, has proven successful; the brand is now sold at many delis, restaurants and hotels across the sector to the delight of locals.

Bertie Matthews, Matthews Cotswold Flour
Eight generations of farming and milling in the Cotswolds have firmly placed Matthews Cotswold Flour on the local food map, and the brand’s now sizeable range of flours is much-loved across the UK – but especially in its local area. 

Visit any bakery within a 20-mile radius of the production site, and it’s more than likely that they will be using Matthews Cotswold Produce in their baking. While artisanal bakeries are at the heart of Bertie’s mission, the team’s shared vision to bring better flour to households across the country in order to level-up not only baking but the health of the local environment is reaping rewards across the board. 

Sourcing grain from sustainably-run farms is key to this mission, as is The Cotswold Grain Partnership – a group of similarly-minded locally-based farmers who work together to create a better future for farming both in the Cotswolds and beyond.

The best regional producers in the Midlands

Tori and Ben Stanley, Tori & Ben’s
Selling optimum produce from the farm direct to consumers, Tori & Ben’s mission is simple but noble: to promote a better way of eating, shopping and living, and giving local consumers an opportunity to do just that. 

Coming from a farming background, Ben is passionate about celebrating Longhorn cattle – not only because of their historical connection to the region, but because of the exceptional quality of their meat. Of parallel importance to the team is the environment, with responsible farming a key tenet of the business’s mission.

This connection to the local land rings true throughout the business; visitors are welcome to walk around the farm and get a taste for the grass roots of the produce they then enjoy in-store. Feeding local customers excellent produce from within a small radius has proven to be a huge success, but Tori & Ben’s is staying resolutely small-scale to better support the local region’s food sector.

Paula Wood, Home Farm Produce
A love of honest food is at the heart of Home Farm Produce, with local meat reared with love and generations of expertise wholesomely served at its on-site farm shop and cafe. 

A nose-to-tail and chemical-free, grass-fed philosophy runs through the business, where simplicity rules; doing things properly – whether that be by farming responsibly, taking care of locals, and cooking up a storm for the deli counter and cafe – is as important to Paula as her appreciation for excellent tasting food. 

Alongside meat reared on the farm, other staples such as vegetables, eggs and bread are sold – offering customers the opportunity to support the local food sector, all from one place.

Locals are treated like family here, with the site a welcome hub for the local community who appreciate the grass roots nature of this business which truly champions honest, home-grown Midlands food. 

The best regional producers in the North of England

Allison Raper, Teesdale Cheesemakers
At Teesdale Cheesemakers, keeping things as natural, honest and local as possible is of paramount importance. Now entering its 10th year of cheese production, and six years at its 20 acre smallholding – complete with purpose-build dairy made out of recycled materials – Allison Raper and her husband Jonathan are resolutely keeping things local and small-scale.

The Covid-19 pandemic led to the business being a go-to for the local community quickly, and its reputation for being a hub for locals still rings true. 

Allison and Jonathan’s dedication to the surrounding region doesn’t end there; they supply only businesses and customers within a tight radius, and only use cows milk sourced from the family farm six miles from the smallholding. 

By keeping sourcing, production, and its customer base within a carefully limited area, Teesdale Cheesemakers are offering a perfectly distilled taste of County Durham.

Annabelle Taylor, Wass Farm
While its original mission was simply to make its excellent produce more accessible to its local community, the team at Wass Farm soon learned that charcuterie made using its premium meat was a winning formula.

Despite its success in the local area and beyond, Annabelle is still passionate about using the meat from animals raised on Wass Farm for its range, and has expanded the variety of its livestock to cater for growing demand. Mangalitza pigs, which have gained a fine food reputation in recent years, and Yorkshire-born middle whites play a vital role in the charcuterie range – as does locally-shot venison, particularly delicious served up in Wass Farm’s venison salami. 

By using pigs raised in local woodlands which are fed apple mulch from nearby cider-makers, Wass Farm are presenting a deliciously provenance-rich range to a hungry customer base in Yorkshire and beyond.

The best regional producers in the South of England

Fatima Zaman, Zaman Condiments
Time-poor and discovering that the Indian sauces readily accessible from supermarkets were bland – a far cry from her the fare offered at her father’s restaurants – inspired Fatima Zaman to create a product range which not only satisfied her hunger for authentic Indian flavours served swiftly, but did so by using premium quality produce sourced from the local area wherever possible. 

Originally from London, Fatima relocated to leafy Hampshire and was inspired to source from local suppliers – buying from farmers markets and more recently Hampshire Fare, a not-for-profit organisation that brings together and supports food and drink producers from the county. 

Organic, local ingredients are the name of the game at Zaman Condiments, delivering not only superior flavour and unmatched quality but also an opportunity to support the livelihoods of farmers and producers from within the region.

Frank Reynolds, Kingcott Dairy
The Reynolds family offers an authentic taste of Kent through its two-strong cheese selection, made using lovingly reared cows whose milk is made into cheese just a few metres away from their field. 

Kentish Blue, originally created 15 years ago by his parents, Karen and Steve, is a young, firm-textured blue cheese with bite, while Kingcott Blue – its best-seller and created by son Frank, is soft-centred and lightly veined. Both cheeses are made optimum by the family’s dedication to taking care of their land and animals, and the small scale of production; Frank and his brother Archie milk the cows then transport it 10 metres into the cheesemaking facility, at which point they go on to create Kingcott Blue and their parents make Kentish Blue. 

Nothing is mechanised at Kingcott Dairy, and a natural affinity with the milk produced on the farm – unpasteurised for optimum flavour and connection to the land – is key to its success.

The best regional producers in Wales

Joanna Morgan, Radnor Preserves
An idyllic life spent in rural Wales inspired Joanna Morgan to take up preserve-making. Living in a cottage with no electricity and boasting a garden full of fruit and vegetables, she used an old recipe book passed down from her grandfather to preserve the produce from her land by candlelight. The venture soon proved popular with family, friends and beyond, and so it has scaled up to be one of the key flagbearers of the region’s food scene.

Simultaneously deliciously simple and playful, the range is now impressively varied. A particularly stand-out product in the range is the Welsh Cider & Leek Chutney – an unique combination which celebrates the Welsh heritage at the heart of the business.

New to the range is an attractive tin filled with Radnor Preserves sweet and savoury preserves, which boasts a stunning image of the region’s famous Cambrian Mountains. Indeed, the brand is such a passionate advocate of its provenance that the images used on its packaging have inspired holidayers and locals alike to explore the area.

Matthew Rees, Carmarthen Ham
A family history of butchery plays a vital role in the success of Carmarthen Ham PGI – one of the relatively few PGI-accredited products hailing from Wales. Matthew Rees, the sixth generation of his family to work in the business – with his son following close behind – transformed his life when he moved away from accountancy to be its current head and has never looked back. 

The most iconic product served up by the family business, Carmarthen Ham PGI is a cured and air-dried ham which is making the region into a destination for food lovers. The ham is still housed in the family butchers shop, but its popularity belies the small size of the operation; the team is currently at capacity for orders, which is testament to both the superior quality and taste of the product and the artisanal techniques used in its creation. 

The best regional producers in the South East of England

Keith and Katie Morrison, Solleys
Locals and visitors keen to sample an authentic taste of Kent are bound to visit Solleys, an ice cream business that has become synonymous with the region since its launch in 1985. Its story starts with Stephen Solley, who was looking to add value to the milk produced on his farm.

Made using fresh and creamy Channel Island milk delivered twice a week from the neighbouring farm’s herd of Jersey and Guernsey cows – some of which are direct descendants of the original herd – and the luxurious texture of the range is boosted by the addition of extra double cream to the delight of customers. 

By working with local independent farm shops, pubs, attractions and other outlets, Solleys has built a reputation for being a truly local business – which is solidified by the brand’s welcoming of visitors to its farm, where an on-site ice cream parlour offers a chance to see where the ice cream is made, and fans can take a tractor ride around the farm. 

Stela Tanase, Busy Bees
A desire to create healthy food for her family and a much-loved hobby of keeping bees was behind the creation of Busy Bees – a Berkshire-based honey brand that brings the natural health benefits of great quality honey to food lovers in the local area.

Entirely pure and raw, Busy Bees honey is a step above the options available on the mass market, and Stela and her husband Eduard – who looks after the bees with love, care and skills passed down through generations of his family – are passionate about keeping it that way. 

The business’s bees traverse a relatively wide area of Berkshire, with the starting point of some being hives in the couple’s own back garden, meaning that the flavour variations present in the honey are diverse – from lavender to cherries and gooseberries, the bees are fed well and their delicious diet, an authentic representation of their region, is perfectly represented in the honey they produce.

Andrew & Di Mills, Nunc Drinks
Nestled in the rolling hills of Buckinghamshire, Nunc is a family-run brewery on a quiet mission: to craft grown-up drinks that are not only good for you — and the planet — but are wildly refreshing too. Founders Andrew and Di built their small-batch brewery from scratch, using local ingredients like raw honey from beekeepers within five miles of their brewery. No flavourings. No shortcuts. Just 100% real ingredients.

Their award-winning range includes non-alcoholic kombucha and a lighter alcoholic 2.5% alternative to sparkling brut wine. Every one of their drinks is crafted with raw honey, layered, complex, and designed with adults in mind. Cans, not bottles. Compostable leftovers. Packaging made within ten miles. Nunc’s commitment to local sourcing and low-impact production is more than a box tick — it’s at the heart of everything they do. They’re a proudly Buckinghamshire-born brand that’s making waves (and fizz) in the world of modern adult drinks.