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Riverford…organic home delivery franchise
Riverford, the nations favourite organic box scheme, has been delivering fresh organic produce direct from the farm to the door for over 15 years. Riverford Organic Vegetables, with our sister farms, is one of the largest organic vegetable producers in the UK. With consumers’ increasing concerns about knowing how and where their food is produced, Riverford’s franchisees are a vital link between consumers and the farm.
Riverford is going from strength to strength having just won the Best Organic Retailer 2009 Soil Association Award, the Observer Ethical Awards Best Ethical Business 2009 and the BITC’s Rural Action Award.
Our franchisees sell a whole range of fresh organic foods – from fruit to eggs and wine – as extras to the vegetable boxes. Profits can be built by developing the customer base density and increasing the average spend, with some of our top performing franchisees grossing over £600 per delivery round.
We are looking for enthusiastic and driven people with a passion for food to join our growing success to operate new and resale territories across the UK.
Riverford Organic Vegetables – How it all began
Riverford Organic Vegetables grows and delivers award-winning fresh organic fruit and veg boxes straight from the farm to homes around the UK. Riverford’s founder, Guy Watson, was a pioneer in the vegbox world, starting to grow organic vegetables in 1987. Riverford is now the country’s most popular vegbox scheme, certified by the Soil Association.
From a wheelbarrow in Devon to 50,000 weekly deliveries around the UK
 The Watson family has farmed at Riverford in Devon since 1951 and youngest son Guy began growing vegetables organically in 1986. Inspired by walking the fields and picking supper for family and friends, Guy began the box scheme in 1993, delivering to just 20 local households. Today Riverford grows and delivers to 50,000 customers around the UK each week through its network of franchisees.As demand for the veg boxes grew, Guy was faced with the challenge of how to meet demand without letting the business get too large and impersonal. “When I started harvesting my first vegetables onto a wheelbarrow, I never wanted to run a huge company and I still don’t now. You don’t have to be massive and all-controlling to secure a viable route to market and give customers what they want.” says Guy.
The solution was to team up with regional ‘sister’ farms and franchisees who shared Guy’s ethics and passion for growing organic vegetables close to where they are eaten and enjoyed. The first was Riverford on Sacrewell Farm in Peterborough, growing and delivering to homes across the East Midlands. Then came Riverford on Home Farm in Yorkshire, to deliver vegboxes across the North and North East. Following the success of the first two sister farms, Riverford on Upper Norton Farm opened to grow and deliver to customers around Hampshire. In September last year, Riverford on Stockley Farm in Cheshire launched, for customers in the North West. Customers get their veg delivered from their local Riverford farm.
A national vegbox scheme with a local service
Riverford needs franchisees for each sister farm, to deliver its organic produce to local people by the most direct route possible. Franchisees are more than just delivery people. They manage their own area, look after their local customers and provide a personal service and link to the farm that customers just won’t find in the supermarket. The franchisees are people that understand Riverford’s ethics and believe in the product they are selling. There is no need for previous experience, just an enthusiasm for fresh organic food and the ability to communicate the Riverford story to new customers. For many, running their own organic business is a complete lifestyle change.
The farm offers its franchisees unlimited support and its growing size means sharing systems and ideas is easy. As Guy explains “Our idea is to retain the social, environmental and economic advantages of small, local businesses, while sharing the advantages that scale gives. This brings business benefits like sharing IT and finance systems, but even more importantly, we can share knowledge.”
Despite Riverford’s growth, it is still a family-owned business that is motivated by traditional values. If you are looking for a new challenge and have a passion for great-tasting organic produce, we are looking for enthusiastic and driven people to join our growing success and operate new and resale territories across the UK.
Financial Information
What does a Riverford franchise cost?
The total investment required from a Riverford franchise can range between £25,000 - £30,000 depending on individual circumstances.
To secure a new territory a 20% deposit is required.
· territory reservation fee - £3,700
· franchise fee balance - £14,800
The initial Riverford franchise fee covers:
· the training week
· a launch package
· an exclusive protected territory with market intelligence and consumer profiling
· full operations manuals
· access to Riverford’s home delivery software
· stationery
· corporate clothing
· marketing materials
· sign writing of your first van
· access to www.riverford.co.uk and online ordering
· vehicle selection and ordering
· advice on the selection of banking and business insurance
To run a Riverford franchise you will need a fully equipped home office, computer, broadband access, a telephone/fax, answer machine and the finance for a home delivery van. You will require working capital in the first months of trading.
A management service fee is charged at 3% of your sales and includes:
· web site advertising, order taking and ongoing development
· customer call centre
· all the in-box marketing and promotions
· quality marketing materials
· meetings, franchise manager support, advice and further training
· samples, special offers and promotional gifts
· free hire of show equipment, banners and signs
· future developments to the systems and the franchise network
The potential if you follow our business systems and are prepared to work hard, you could have a turnover of £350,000 within three years. If you’re a real high flyer, you could achieve a turnover of £3,600 per week delivering to over 340 customers, within 5 months. That’s what our Guildford franchisee achieved! There are already customers waiting in some new areas and the potential is huge.
- Initial franchise fee - £18,500
- VAT - £2,775
- Total - £21,275
The VAT on your initial franchise fee can be recovered from your first VAT return.
Subject to satisfactory performance, your agreement will be renewed at the end of the five years for a further five years and a third five years with no further initial fees.
Territories/Locations
Riverford – franchise areas available now:
Riverford on Wash Farm
- Dudley
- Bromsgrove
- Birmingham
Riverford on Stockley Farm
- Preston/Southport
- Bolton/Bury
- The Wirral
- Oldham/Rochdale
- Skelmersdale/Wigan
- Manchester Central
- Ashton-Under-Lyme
- Blackburn
- Wolverhampton*
Riverford on Sacrewell Farm
- Lincoln
Riverford on Home Farm
- Rotherham/Worksop
- Halifax/Bradford
- Hudderfield
* denotes applications already received and candidates are part way through the recruitment process.
PLEASE NOTE: It is a pre-requisite that our franchisees live in, or are prepared to relocate to, the franchised area.
Riverford franchise resales – areas available now
Buying an existing franchise has a number of benefits. Not only do you still get all the support and training that our start up franchises benefit from, you also have:
- Brand awareness and loyalty within territory
- Existing regular orders from established customer base
- Significant revenues from day one
- Excellent potential for further expansion within the territory
- Infrastructure and logistics already in place
We are looking for franchisees who can take this franchise opportunity onto the next level and invest in the next phase of the development and growth of the business.
We currently have re-sale opportunities in
- Bury St Edmunds
- Chester*
- Dartford & Bexley
- Doncaster
- Middlesborough
- Mansfield
- Southend
- Stoke
- Wakefield & Pontefract
For more information on franchising with Riverford Organic Vegetables,
please fill out the short form below:
Further information request to Riverford Organic Vegetables
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Company Facts
Contact DetailsSarah Vosper Tel: 01803 762048 Riverford Organic Vegetables Case Study
Ruth Oakman
A new service supplying boxes of organic vegetables has been launched this week delivering to homes in Berkshire. Local woman, Ruth Oakman, is the latest partner for Riverford Organic Vegetables. |
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