Southalls of Norchard is a fourth generation family-owned business growing vegetables on around 1000 acres, primarily for UK supermarkets. The partners are twin brothers Paul and Michael Southall. Their father, Don, took over the farm in 1947, at the age of 21, having graduated from Harper Adams. Paul and Mike joined the business in 1980 being graduates of Newcastle University and Harper Adams res
pectively. In June 2007 the family celebrated 100 years since Matthew Southall originally bought Norchard Farm. Southalls of Norchard specialise in growing and packing a range of top quality vegetables over a long season. Crops: Asparagus, Runner, Broad and Dwarf French Beans, Courgettes, Pumpkins, Carrots and Purple Sprouting Broccoli. Apart from growing these crops we have the capacity to pack them in our pack house built in 2004, part funded by a grant from the Rural Payments Agency. We employ up to 160 people from over 10 different nations (including a number of long-standing local people) many of whom are Eastern European agricultural students. The students live in mobile homes on 3 sites with facilities such as an internet café, football pitch, pool tables and table tennis on offer, along with the opportunity to join English Language classes and trips to Alton Towers and Merry Hill Shopping Centre.
