St Nicholas Court Farms Ltd

Pupils from St Nicholas Primary School in Thanet, Kent, showed off their potato growing skills and knowledge to visitors at Kent County Show in July.

The thirty-four year five schoolchildren, who have spent six months learning about potato production with the help of Kent supplier St Nicholas Court Farms and Tesco, presented highlights from their project work on the Tesco Agricultural Trade Stand, which was promoting local Kent produce.

During their project, led by teacher David Hannan, pupils have followed the progress of locally-grown Kent potatoes from Thanet fields to the Tesco Extra supermarket at the Westwood Shopping Centre near Broadstairs. The children studied the history of potatoes and their importance as part of a healthy diet. The class visited St Nicholas Court Farms to see how potatoes are planted, harvested and packed and also grew their own potatoes at school, using old tyres as plant pots.

Eddie Knowles, marketing manager for St Nicholas Court Farms, who has been involved with the project since it first started, said: “The youngsters really enjoyed the project and have learned an amazing amount about potatoes and potato growing. We have thoroughly enjoyed working with them and congratulate them and David Hannan on the high quality of their course work.”

St Nicholas Court Farms also unveiled its new ‘Local heroes’ advertising campaign at the County show. The campaign, which promotes the benefits of locally-grown potatoes, features three Kent growers: Peter Tickle of Allens Hill Farm, Mike Wilkinson of Chislet Court Farm and David Snell of Great Brooksend Farm. All three growers have been producing potatoes for St Nicholas Court Farms for over 20 years. The campaign includes bus back advertising, press adverts and a recipe leaflet.

Download Recipe Leaflet

St Nicholas Court Farms, one of Kent’s leading potato producers, unveiled its new regional marketing campaign featuring local growers at Kent County Show, Detling, near Maidstone, Kent on 13 July 2007.

The company’s ‘local heroes’ campaign, which promotes the benefits of locally-grown potatoes sold through Kent Tesco stores, features three of St Nicholas Court Farms’ growers. Peter Tickle of Allens Hill Farm, Mike Wilkinson of Chislet Court Farm and David Snell of Great Brooksend Farm have all been producing potatoes for St Nicholas Court Farms for over 20 years. Photographs of the three growers appear on press adverts, bus backs and point of sale material alongside the headline: ‘Grown in Kent, sold in Kent, our local potatoes are the pick of the crop!’.

SNCF is the only potato producer in the Southeast to have branded products (Kentish Desiree and Kentish White) sold in Tesco’s Kent stores.

Nick Tapp, managing director of St Nicholas Court Farms, said: “The new campaign is part of our drive to develop our share of the fresh potato market in Kent by raising the profile of the SNCF brand and increasing awareness of the benefits of purchasing local potatoes from local Tesco stores.”

The campaign will roll out during July and August. St Nicholas Court Farms has also produced a recipe leaflet with potato dishes created by celebrity chefs Mary Berry, Phil Vickery and Peter Bayless, which will be distributed through selected local Tesco supermarkets.

Tesco Year 5 School Potato Project 2007

Pupils at St Nicholas Primary School are undertaking a project to grow potatoes with the help of St Nicholas Court Farms and Tesco.

The children are learning how to grow potatoes and how they eventually finish up on the supermarket shelf. David Hannah will be teaching the children of year 5 where potatoes first came from and how potatoes are grown and combing this within the school curriculum.

Tesco Agriculture Manager Roy Maynard and Carol Brunton Tesco Quality Assurance Manager visited the children this week (26th March) to see how the project is progressing. (see picture).

So far the children have planted the potatoes in old tyres, as they where grown during the Second World War, and also learnt about the potato famine in Ireland during the 1800’s and the effects that the shortage of potatoes caused to the people of Ireland.

Eddie Knowles Marketing Manager for St Nicholas Court Farms has been involved with the project since it first stated and he commented “its really is fantastic as to what the children have learnt, and how much they are enjoying the course work. As the year progresses they will see how potatoes are planted in the field, then from harvesting the crop to the packhouse and eventually on to the shelves at Tesco Extra at Westwood. We really want to show the children the benefits of health eating, and that potatoes are a great source of fibre and vitamins.

The course will finish with the children showing their project work to the public at this year Kent Show at Detling on 13th July, where Tesco will be promoting local produce from Kent.

For more information contact

Eddie Knowles St Nicholas Court Farms

Office Tel 01843 847269
Mobile 07775785762

David Hannah St Nicholas Primary
School Tel 01843 847253

St. Nicholas Court Farms, long term specialist suppliers of fresh potatoes to Tesco, are delighted to announce the launch of two new local lines in Tesco stores across Kent. As part of the wider Tesco commitment to working with local suppliers and developing local produce, St. Nicholas Court Farms will supply all Tesco stores in Kent with Kentish Desiree and Kentish White potatoes in distinctive St. Nicholas Court Farms packaging, and will on sale in Tesco stores in Kent from Monday the 29th January.

Kent based St. Nicholas Court Farms have worked with Tesco (and recently with national Tesco potato supplier Greenvale AP) over the past two years to raise the profile of local supply through the ‘Locally Grown in Kent’ campaign, which makes the link between the product and the local farmer. Launched with the new potato season in 2005 and following in to other soft fruit and vegetable products, this has proved very popular with customers, for whom local food and food miles are an increasing concern. A significant proportion of the potatoes grown for St. Nicholas Court Farms are grown within 5 miles of the packhouse at St. Nicholas at Wade on the Isle of Thanet, which keeps food miles to a minimum.

Paul Smith of Tesco commented “Our customer tell us they want more local products. The launch of these 2 new lines is a natural progression of our commitment to supply more locally produced products. A broader range of products will be launched in May 2007”

This product launch further emphasises the close local links Tesco have with potato growers in Kent. St. Nicholas Court Farms have a forty year supply relationship with the Kent Veg Co-operative, which has 17 member growers growing potatoes for Tesco across the county from the Isle of Grain to the Isle of Thanet, and from Tenterden to Romney Marsh. St Nicholas Courts Farms have been supplying high quality Potatoes to Tesco for many years.

For further information, please contact:

Eddie Knowles, Marketing Manager
01843 847269

Launch of the Kentish New Potato Season
1st June 2006
With the help of Thanet growers Richard and David Ash, St. Nicholas Court Farms had local new potatoes on Tesco shelves in Kent at the beginning of June. In spite of the wettest and coldest May for many years, which delayed both crop growth and the start of lifting, deliveries were made direct to Tesco stores on the Isle of Thanet on June 1st, and then to all stores in Kent over the first weekend in June. Tesco were able to launch Kentish new potatoes in store some days before any of the other major multiples.

Following the successful launch of the 25kg Desiree Ware bag in the autumn of 2005, St. Nicholas Court Farms have introduced 2 more lines for both wholesale and retail customers. The 1kg Baby Kentish pack is aimed at the local retail trade, offering a high quality locally grown small Maris Peer. The new 10kg White Ware offers a very evenly sized white potato for the wholesale and catering customer for whom portion control is critical. Both lines are proving popular with an ever more sophisticated customer base.

New Packaging for St. Nicholas Court Farms
2005 has seen the launch of a new packaging design for St. Nicholas Court Farms. The designs for pre-packs, bags and boxes seeks to emphasise the close links between St. Nicholas Court Farms and local growers in the Garden of England.