Derbyshire farm shop Croots boosts its parking facilities to cater for demand

Steve Croot in the new car park.

Popular Derbyshire farm shop Croots has doubled the size of its car park to cater for increasing numbers of customers.

As it gears up for Christmas and its busiest time of the year, the farm shop near Duffield has opened a second car park to create additional spaces.

The new hardstanding area has effectively doubled the number of car parking spaces at the farm shop in Wirksworth Road to around 56.

“Croots Farm Shop & Café has become a popular destination for shoppers and diners, and we wanted to make sure that our visitors could park – whether they were coming to shop, visit our café for coffee, lunch or afternoon tea, or to use our children’s play area,” said Steve Croot, who runs the shop with wife Kay Croot.

“We’re situated at the end of a 500m drive and many of our visitors come by car, so this will make it easier for customers to find a space, especially as we are now heading towards our busiest time of the year when we expect a lot of visitors to the Christmas events we have planned, as well as those coming to do their shopping or join us in the café.”

The new car park is near the top of the drive, just a few metres away from Croots Farm Shop & Café.

Croots, which opened in June 2008, is an award-winning family run farm shop – well known for its wide array of quality food and drink, homemade produce and gifts. It has an extensive butchery counter and a well-stocked cheese display, making it a big favourite for foodie fans in Derbyshire.

It also sells a range of bakes created exclusively for Croots by Great British Bake Off contestant Val Stones who is the sister of Steve Croot.

Earlier this year, Croots Farm Shop won the People’s Choice in the Midlands Award in the Family United Business Awards.

“We’ve expanded the shop and the café since we opened, and improved the drive, so it’s logical to also extend the car park,” added Steve. “We have additional improvements in the pipeline too, as we continue to boost our facilities and customer experience.”

Croots Farm Shop, based at Farnah House Farm, Wirksworth Road, near Duffield, is open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm (Shires Eatery until 4.30pm) and from 10am to 4pm on Sundays. Croots runs Fresh Fish Thursdays between 9am and 1pm on Thursdays.

For more information, visit http://www.croots.co.uk. Find Croots on Twitter @crootsfarm_shop or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Croots-Farm-Shop

Press release issued by Nottingham based PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Snack brand Salty Dog launches new popcorn products

Salty Dog popcorn

Cool snack brand Salty Dog has unveiled two new popcorn products as the appetite for popcorn snacks continues to rise.

The Salty Dog popcorn comes in two flavours – sea salt and sweet & salty - and has been designed for both retail and hospitality.

With eye-catching packaging and fitting neatly into vending machines, the popcorn is vegan friendly and already has listings with wholesalers around the country. It’s perfect for pubs, bars, cafés and food-to-go venues, as well as ideal for retailers and independent stores.

The popcorn is the latest new snack to emerge from the Salty Dog stable and follows Darling Corn, which has also recently been unveiled in bright new packaging. The roasted corn kernels are available in three different flavours in 18g size – sea salt, smoked and barbecue – and three different flavours in 40g pack size – sea salt, barbecue and jalapeño.

Offering a good source of fibre, low in calories, free from any of the common allergens, and licensed by Coeliac UK as being gluten free, the roasted corn kernels are part of the Darling Spuds brand of Salty Dog.

Judy Willis, who runs Salty Dog and Darling Spuds with husband Dave Willis, said: “The appetite for tasty premium snacks remains high and we are delighted to unveil our new Salty Dog popcorn products, which follow the recent repackaging of our Darling Corn snacks.

“Popcorn is one of the grocery sector’s fastest growing product and the popcorn market is said to have doubled in value since 2013.”

Launched in 2003, Salty Dog is well known for its cool crisps, nibbly nuts and other snacks. Sister brand Darling Spuds followed in 2010, with hand-cooked crisps and roasted corn kernels.

Recommended retail price for the new popcorn is £1 per pack and for the corn is £1 for the 40g packs and 50p for the 18g packs.

Both ranges are available from Chiltern Snacks - telephone 01494 776006 or visit www.chilternsnacks.co.uk

For more information visit www.saltydog-grrr.com or www.darlingspuds.co.uk

Press release issued by Nottingham based PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Croots Farm Shop in Derbyshire takes part in Open Farm Sunday

Kay Croot with one of the lambs

One of Derbyshire’s most popular farm shops is giving customers the chance to go behind the scenes of a farm during a national event that’s billed as the farm industry’s open day.

Croots Farm Shop near Duffield is throwing open the gates to Farnah House Farm, Wirksworth Road, on 11^th June when it takes part in Open Farm Sunday.

Organised by LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming), Open Farm Sunday is the opportunity for farmers to proudly showcase British farming and food. It will be the second year that Croots Farm Shop has taken part in the national event.

“After the great success that we had last year, we are proud to say that we will once again be opening our farm up to the public on Sunday 11th June 2017 from 11am until 3:30pm,” said Kay Croot, who runs Croots Farm Shop with husband Steve Croot.

Kay grew up at Farnah House Farm, which is run by her parents Jim and Sue.

During the event on 11^th June, which is free to enter, visitors can watch sheep shearing and blacksmith displays, meet the farmer, learn more about lambing, join Shire horse and cart rides, take part in competitions and look at tractors.

There will be live music from contemporary folk band Isembard’s Wheel and a BBQ will also be running.

Croots Farm shop and Café will still be accessible during the day, with events running in the fields and barns around the shop.

“We are very proud of the food we produce at the farm and are looking forward to giving our customers the chance to see behind the scenes,” said Kay. 

“Last year, more than a quarter of a million visitors went out onto farms during Open Farm Sunday, and since the first Open Farm Sunday in 2006, over 1500 farmers across the UK have opened their gates and welcomed 1.8 million people onto their farm for one Sunday each year. It’s a great opportunity to discover first-hand what it means to be a farmer and to find out more about how food is produced.”

For more information, visit http://www.croots.co.uk Find Croots on Twitter @crootsfarm_shop or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Croots-Farm-Shop

Press release issued by Nottingham based PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Croots Farm Shop & Café a finalist in Family Business United Awards 2017

Kay and Steve Croot

Derbyshire farm shop Croots has been named a finalist for the Midlands Family Business of the Year Award 2017.

The farm shop and café near Duffield, run by husband and wife team Steve and Kay Croot, is one of 12 family firms shortlisted for the accolade.

“We are delighted to learn that we’ve been chosen as a finalist in this award. It’s great news for Croots Farm Shop and all the wonderful, hard-working staff we have on our team,” said Kay Croot. “The farm shop was launched at my parents’ farm in 2008, and has gone from strength to strength.

“It’s very much a family business, with our staff being part of our extended family. We have some people that have been with us at Croots Farm Shop since the start and are incredibly loyal and amazing with customers. We have shared our progress with them, they understand what we are striving to deliver, live the same values and we look after them and treat them like part of a big family.

“I’d like to thank them, as well as all our suppliers and customers, for helping this family business to grow and to get to a stage where we have been named a finalist of the Midlands Family Business of the Year Award 2017.”

The Family Business of the Year Awards are organised by Family Business United, the award-winning magazine and resource centre that champions and celebrates the family business sector. Now in their fifth year, the awards recognise the diversity, strength and depth of family firms across the UK and seek to highlight the contribution that family firms make to the UK economy.  

Open to family firms of all generations, sizes and sectors, the awards recognise some outstanding family firms and really help to put family businesses on the map.

Paul Andrews, founder and managing director of Family Business United, said: "We are delighted to be able to pull together such a vibrant bunch of family businesses, some that have succeeded for numerous generations and continue to thrive, and others that are relatively young but have great values at the heart of what they do.

“Well done to Croots Farm Shop & Café on being named a finalist.”

Sian Steele, head of family business at PwC, sponsors of the award added: "Any one of those shortlisted would make worthy winners and ambassadors for the sector. We are looking forward to finding out more about each of them and I am sure that the decisions to determine the winner will not be easy.  Previous winners of this award include Penny Hydraulics, Cropwell Bishop and Fracino so the 2017 winners will be following in the footsteps of some incredible family firms."

The awards process concludes at a gala reception and awards ceremony that takes place in London at the prestigious May Fair Hotel in London on June 8 where the winners will be crowned.

Croots Farm Shop, based at Farnah House Farm, Wirksworth Road, is open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm (Shires Eatery until 4.30pm) and from 10am to 4pm on Sundays. Croots runs Fresh Fish Thursdays between 9am and 1pm on Thursdays.

For more information, visit www.croots.co.uk Find Croots on Twitter @crootsfarm_shop or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Croots-Farm-Shop

Press release issued by Nottingham based PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk