Uncle Henry's Farm Shop shortlisted for Retailer of the Year award

The awards recognise excellence within the specialist retail market, focusing on independent speciality retailers who sell regional fresh/farm produce or have a delicatessen counter offering 12 categories to enter under and win including Farm Shop of the Year.

The Awards recognise the very best standards in specialist retail and celebrate the highest levels of service, product knowledge, initiative, innovation and community involvement.

The aim is to highlight highly driven and passionate local businesses like Uncle Henry’s.

Uncle Henry’s are the only local business to be shortlisted in the awards.

Uncle Henry’s opened in September 2006 and is part of a family farming business managed by Emma Ward, daughter of the owners Steve and Meryl Ward.

Emma is the fifth generation to live and work at the mixed arable and livestock farm where high welfare pig production and environmental stewardship are important parts of the farming business.

Emma Ward, General Manager at local Farm Shop Uncle Henry’s said: “Here at Uncle Henry’s we are passionate about great tasting homegrown and local food.

“We are also proud to stock products from more than 45 Lincolnshire producers; our local food heroes.

“Winning the Farm Shop Small Retailer of the Year Award would bring recognised achievement to our fantastic team who work hard to source our fantastic local products, make our delicious Uncle Henry’s items and serve our customers with passion and enthusiasm for the products we sell.”

Nigel Barden, chair of judges and BBC Radio 2 Gastronome commented “There are some very focused, driven and talented food retailers in Britain, who deserve to be nourished and encouraged.

“It’s marvellous that these awards can bring them to much wider attention.

“The 2015 Awards revealed some truly brilliant winners, many of whom source produce locally and it’s marvellous to see that there’s a good spread of outstanding retailers in both urban and rural settings.

“The British food and drink offer has never been better, as richly illustrated by the Farm Shop and Deli Awards.”

The other finalists in the Small Retailer of the Year category are Cross Lanes Organic Farm Ltd, Foxholes Farm Shop, Loch Leven’s Larder and The Salt Pig.

The winners will be announced at the Farm Shop and Deli Show on Monday, April 18, at Birmingham’s NEC.