October is the month for crop planning. We are agreeing prices and volumes for everything from carrots to coriander, for May 2025 to April 2026. Over 90 per cent of the crops in your boxes will be programmed well in advance, with growers we trust and where the relationship is mutually beneficial. In an industry characterised by brutal price negotiations, these relationships are unique – and are perhaps the aspect of Riverford that I am most proud of. They allow growers to focus on long-term stewardship of the land, rather than what they can extract in the short term.
Over the years, I have seen so many founder-led businesses sold off to corporations or venture capitalists. The fastest way to grow margins and reward hungry investors is to squeeze suppliers, by bringing in a professional buyer – often one who has worked for a supermarket. Typically, these are ruthless margin chasers with no interest in the product or the people making it. Biscuits this month, cauliflowers the next; buyers are moved around regularly, to avoid them forming human relationships that might soften their negotiations. This may give the lowest price in the short term, but it denies effective communication and is inherently wasteful – as well as immensely stressful for suppliers.
When Riverford became employee-owned six years ago, one of my concerns was that we might begin to squeeze suppliers, and abandon those working on a smaller scale, to boost margins and profits.
As it turns out, I need not have worried. Yesterday, Luke, Dale, and their Supply Chain Team laid out their plans to grow with our 80 key growers. Their emphasis was on communication and cooperation, rather than competition, to drive improvement. To my relief, Homo economicus is a myth; humans are not programmed to intrinsically seek personal reward in every action we take. Perhaps we only do this when it is the behaviour we see modelled all around us, as in a supermarket buying office or most of the City of London. I question whether unbridled capitalism can ever deliver a sustainable future – and I am so proud and relieved that Riverford has the protection of its employees as shareholders.
Our News from the Farm posts come from Riverford. They are the digital versions of the printed letters which go out to customers, every week via Riverford’s veg boxes. Guy Singh-Watson’s weekly newsletters connect people to the farm with refreshingly honest accounts of the trials and tribulations of producing organic food, and the occasional rant about farming, ethical and business issues he feels strongly about.
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