Hayles Fruit Farm: Growing a Destination
Some businesses are built on history. The best ones know how to build on it.
Originally planted in 1880, Hayles Fruit Farm has been shaped by generations of the Harrell family, who have cared for its 134 acres since 1950. Today, it's a thriving fruit farm, farm shop and café nestled in the Gloucestershire countryside, attracting visitors from across the Cotswolds.
When Joe Harrell took on the leadership of the farm and café, his ambition wasn't to reinvent the business, but to raise the standard of everything it offered. The café had already become an important part of the farm, and Joe saw an opportunity to make it a destination in its own right.
Coffee was one of those opportunities.
Together, we moved away from a bean-to-cup machine and commodity-grade coffee, installing a La Marzocco Linea PB and introducing our Brown Sugar Blend. Just as importantly, we worked alongside Joe and his team, providing barista training and ongoing support so every cup reflected the same care that goes into the rest of the farm.
The results speak for themselves. The café is busier than ever, with queues of visitors on weekends and demand that has led to the addition of a beautiful oak-framed outdoor seating area. It's become somewhere people actively seek out, not just while visiting the farm, but as a destination in its own right.
What we admire most is Joe's willingness to invest in doing things better. It would have been easy to stick with what had always worked, but he recognised that expectations change. By raising the quality of the experience, without losing the character that makes Hayles so special, he's created something that feels both timeless and refreshingly modern.
Partnerships like this are why we love working with independent businesses. We don't simply deliver coffee; we help our partners create experiences people remember. And as a lovely bonus, we loved Hayles' fruit juice so much that we now serve it in our own Brew Bar and Kitchen, bringing a little of their orchard back to Cheltenham.