Medway’s largest top fruit grower AC Goatham & Son is today, Friday 15 April 2016, celebrating after being announced as finalists for two major fresh produce industry awards.
The business is a finalist in the Fresh Produce Consortium Best Place to Work Award and Dobri Kraev, Packhouse Production Manager at their headquarters at Flanders Farm, Hoo, is a finalist for Manager of the Year Award. The winners will be announced at a black tie dinner in central London on 9th June 2016.
Carol Ford, Commercial Director at AC Goatham & Son comments: “We are absolutely delighted to be named as finalists in two categories for the Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) Awards 2016. We understand from the FPC that they have this year received more entries per category than any other year, so competition was very stiff. We wish Dobri luck with his individual category and look forward to celebrating with the whole team, should we be crowned the best place to work in the UK fresh produce industry.”
Next week, Thursday 21 April 2016, the business will formally collect three other major industry awards, The Fresh Awards, 2015 organised by the Fresh Produce Journal and voted for by the fresh produce industry. It has won the Fruit Grower/Supplier of the Year Award, The Total Produce Award for Best Supporter of British and Senior Partner Clive Goatham is being awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award, in recognition for his individual work.
The business was a second place in the Unsung Hero Award for Dobri Kraev, Packhouse and the Digital Initiative Award for the brand new and innovative consumer facing website www.acgoatham.com.
Clive Goatham, Partner at AC Goatham & Son will make a speech to the industry when he collects his award and comments: “I am of course delighted to have been awarded a lifetime achievement award for work which began as a small child alongside my parents, helping to polish and pack apples and pears for sale. Our business today has grown exponentially since then and is helping to provide a sustainable supply of apples and pears for the whole of the UK, as well as employment to hundreds of staff who work with us throughout the year. I hope that one day my own grandsons will follow in my footsteps, as their father, my son Ross has followed in his grandfather’s.”
I would also like to thank all of our team for their hard work. Whilst we would have liked to have entered all of them for an award, we singled out Dobri, as the successful running of the fruit through the packhouse and out to the supermarket shelves is absolutely vital to ensure we deliver fantastic Kent grown apples and pears to shoppers up and down the country.”
Michael Barker, editor at the Fresh Produce Journal comments: “AC Goatham & Son is one of the true pioneers in the UK apple and pear industry, and they have made a huge commitment to British production with their various investments in orchards and infrastructure. They are very well deserving of these awards.
“Clive Goatham’s passion and drive has been at the heart of the company’s success, and his hard work over several decades is reflected by the industry selecting him as winner of the Lifetime Achievement award.”
AC Goatham & Son grows one in every three British Conference Pears and one in every 4.5 British apples sold in the UK.
