Winterwood Farms Ltd

Our farms in the North of South Africa are wrapping up with record yields, while our farms in the Western Cape are just getting started— we’re very excited for what’s still to come! 🌱 Every year, we’re truly amazed by the performance of Mountain Blue (MBO) genetics. With new plantings going in each year, it’s a privilege to continually grow and deliver world-class genetics to global markets straight from our farms in South Africa 🫐 📸 Melwood Fruits (Western Cape) – Twilight Variety

We're #hiring a new Blue Berry Pack House & Cold Room Manager in Porterville, Western Cape. Apply today or share this post with your network.

#Blackcurrants are poised to become a significant presence in the fresh fruit sections of UK supermarkets, driven by innovative research initiatives in Scotland. Researchers at the James Hutton Institute Scientific Services have secured funding to enhance the fruit's appeal for direct consumption, as it has traditionally been cultivated for processing into drinks, jams, and preserves. In partnership with Winterwood Farms Ltd., the project aims to reshape the genetics of blackcurrants over the next five years, focusing on several key modifications: - Improving fruit size - Increasing sugar content - Extending shelf life - Forming attractive long fruit clusters, known as strigs - Addressing lower winter chilling requirements - Enhancing resistance to pests and diseases These advancements will not only make blackcurrants more adaptable to climate change but also reduce reliance on chemical inputs. Dr. Amanda Moura, a specialist blackcurrant breeder at Hutton, highlighted the ambition of this work: “We want shoppers to find blackcurrants on supermarket shelves as a #fresh and #healthy choice, while ensuring the crop remains #resilient for future farming.” Stephen Taylor, managing director at Winterwood Farms Ltd, emphasized that while many blackcurrant varieties exist globally, none are sweet enough for direct consumption like raspberries and blueberries. He believes that with the right developments, blackcurrants could emerge as a #superfood. The Hutton Institute is optimistic that upcoming trial plantings will yield new blackcurrant selections that align with commercial priorities and meet consumer expectations. https://lnkd.in/eZKxTynd Agriland Media De Lacy Executive Recruitment #Blackcurrents #Research #Genetic #Superfood #Development

Winterwood Farms are proud to extend their ongoing partnership with James Hutton Scientific Services on a groundbreaking project to bring fresh blackcurrants to UK supermarkets as a snackable fruit 🌱 Despite their incredible health benefits, blackcurrants are rarely sold fresh. This project aims to change that by developing varieties that are sweeter, larger, longer-lasting, and more visually appealing—perfect for snacking and fresh consumption. Led by Dr Amanda Moura, the breeding programme uses advanced techniques to create climate-resilient, high-quality fruit that meets both grower and consumer needs. "Although many blackcurrant varieties exist around the world, none of them are sweet enough to be consumed in the same way as, say, raspberries and blueberries. Purely from a health perspective, blackcurrants have the potential to be a superfood, particularly if they were sweet enough to snack on, rather than restricted to cooking with, or mixing with other fruits.” Steve Taylor #WinterwoodFarms #Blackcurrants #FreshFruitInnovation #SustainableFarming #JamesHuttonInstitute #UKAgriculture #FruitBreeding #HealthyEating https://lnkd.in/eV9x_yrp

Polish Berry Season: Resilience in Every Harvest 🇵🇱 🫐 Our Polish season is now in full swing, and as always, it’s brought its fair share of challenges. From late frosts to relentless rain, the weather has tested our resilience 🌦️ But thanks to the dedication and expertise of our farming teams, we continue to produce berries of exceptional quality—berries that consistently outperform the competition 🥇 Despite the tough conditions, our farms remain focused, innovative, and committed to excellence. It's a testament to the strength of our people and the care we put into every step of the growing process 🌱 Here’s to pushing through the storms, celebrating the sweet rewards of our hard work and finishing the season strong 💪 📸 Ochoza Organic Plantation 📸 #BerryFarming #PolishSeason #Agriculture #Resilience #Teamwork #QualityProduce #blueberries #berries #blueberry #farming

We're #hiring a new Financial Accountant in Saron, Western Cape. Apply today or share this post with your network.

2025 has delivered the perfect conditions for British blueberries — the result is big and delicious berries! 😋🫐☀️ 📸 Winterwood Farm, Maidstone, UK #valor #berries #blueberries #farming #produce #freshproduce #UnitedKingdom #blueberry

Our Polish season is here 🤩🫐🌱 #berries #blueberries #farming #produce #freshproduce #blueberry

🎉 Sports Day Joy at Lushof Farm! 🏃♂️👧🌟 On 28 March 2025, Lillyvale Akademie Crèche at Lushof Farm 🫐🍇 hosted its first-ever Sports Day—a heartwarming event that brought together children, parents, and farm staff in a celebration of unity and joy 💙 From tug-of-war challenges (yes, even the management joined in!) to laughter-filled races, the day was a powerful reminder that investing in our children builds stronger communities 💪 Please read the article attached from the latest Waitrose Foundation newsletter 😊 A huge thank you to the Waitrose Foundation for supporting initiatives that truly make a difference 🙌 Our farms have been long standing members of the Waitrose Foundation since 2006. Every time you buy a Waitrose Foundation product, 2% or equivalent of the sale is invested back into the community it came from. #WaitroseFoundation #CommunityFirst #LushofFarm #SportsDayFun #InvestInChildren #Winterwood #WinterwoodFarms #FreshProduce #Farming #Blueberries

🌍 Big News from Winterwood Farms! 🫐 We’re growing! This year, we’re planting an additional 40 hectares of blueberries across our farms in Poland and South Africa! 💪 Why? Because we’re committed to delivering top-quality blueberries to the world 🌱✨ We’re continually trialling new varieties to make sure our future plantings continue to exceed customer expectations 💙 📸 Ground preparation at Bush Valley Berries ZA for 10ha of Eureka Dawn