Speciality Food September 2025

throughout our organic journey,” says Barnes. “The journey itself is lengthy and challenging but ultimately incredibly rewarding. It took three years to convert our farmland to organic and we are still learning new techniques to improve soil health and therefore crop health. “Last year, we visited organic garlic farmers in the Drôme region of France, where we learned about controlling weeds without pesticides, which requires skill and timely mechanical intervention. We’ve also been fortunate to learn fromour local community –Will fromLiving Larder (the island’s only other organic farm), has been a great help.” Learning about soil structure has been a substantial part of The invested in an eco-friendly approach – taking into account waste, ecosystems and soil structure – to make the production of their range as beneficial to the environment as possible. “We try to take measurable, tangible actions towards nature- friendly farming,” he says. “We advocate for farm-to-fork, root-to-fruit dining, use our own pasture-raised cattle and goat, and compost our food waste, which we measure and continually aim to reduce.” Innovation is the name of the game. “We’ve also been experimentingwith farming practices such as alley cropping, with the intention of sequestering carbon and providing wildlife corridors, as well as offering browse and shade for our livestock and (hopefully) improving soil structure,” continues Barnes. “Our WETland system is another interesting experiment; it’s a series of shallow pools that treat our wastewater and it’s also an ecosystem in its own right. Since being installed it has attracted rare birds, dragonflies and damselflies. We’re tracking the wildlife populations in the hope that our small changes will help enhance biodiversity.” The journey towards organic The path to organic status is long, but the people behind The Garlic Farmhave powered through –with optimum results. “We’ve been very fortunate to learn from the organic and regenerative farming community 22 @specialityfood W ith over 50 years of experience growing garlic at the family farmon the Isle of Wight, the teambehind The Garlic Farm is truly passionate about this most versatile ingredient – bringing a variedmix of garlic- inspired products and ingredients to discerning food lovers, and satisfying the growing appetite for food which has a positive impact on people and planet. The Garlic Farm’s range has plenty to tempt customers looking for flavour boosts without compromise. “We grow and source delicious, healthy garlic varieties and garlic-infused products – from chutneys and sauces to beer and ice cream,” begins Barnes Edwards, director at The Garlic Farm. “We’re committed to bringing garlic flavour, inspiration and information to our customers, through our visitor farmand quality products.” Sustainability at its heart A dedication to being responsible stewards of their land they farm is key to The Garlic Farm’s mission. “Across all aspects of the business, we’re guided by the principles of ‘Efficiency’ and ‘Respect’,” explains Barnes. “These values have become deeply embedded in our culture and are now formally recognised through B Corp Certification, Soil Association Organic Certification, and Pasture for Life Accreditation.” Working in harmony with nature is at the core of The Garlic Farm’s ethos, says Barnes, and the business has Garlic Farm’s journey. “The creation of soil structure at microbial level is, among other things, nature’s way of engineering water-holding capacity,” explains Barnes. “We’ve been trying to encourage deep, strong roots by creating long rest periods for plants by altering our grazing system. The integration of pasture-fed, out-wintered, cattle into the rotation of our crop using amob- grazing system seems to be helping to support soil health. We hope that converting to organic will help us deliver good outcomes for our team, customers, livestock, wildlife and the environment.” The future is looking bright for the organic mission at The Garlic Farm. “We have seen first-hand the positive The Garlic Farm’s new Asian range is a true innovation, combining trending tastes with fully organic credentials EXPLORE ASIANFLAVOURS, ORGANICALLY We’re helping our retailers expand their organic offerings and giving our customers more choice, as well as peace of mind that the products are made with consideration for environmental impact effect organic farming practices have on the environment and on our crops,” says Barnes. “Fewer pesticides and less intensive farming methods are good for soil health, biodiversity and for humans, too.” Trendy and planet-friendly The Garlic Farm’s newly extended Asian range is not only delicious, but its first entirely organic range – andmore eco innovation is in the pipeline, says Barnes. “Our intention is to gradually convert all our products to organic. We’ve looked at the evidence of carbon emissions as well as biodiversity impact for organic farming and are committed making the change across our supply chain – no small challenge!” With Asian cuisine and ingredients “par for the course” in many British kitchens, creating this collection of store cupboard ingredients was, says Barnes, “a natural transition and one we were sure our customers would appreciate, with the recent rise of Pan-Asian and Asian-Fusion food in restaurants andmarkets.” He is excited by the potential of The Garlic Farm’s first full organic range of products – both for the business itself and its retail partners. “It’s exciting for us as this is our first full organic range of products. We’re helping our retailers expand their organic offerings and giving our customers more choice, as well as peace of mind that the products are made with consideration for environmental impact. “We are working on transitioning all our products to organic, so expect to see some changes to the product range in the coming years. As always, quality is our priority – and plenty of garlic!” With its sound sustainability credentials and flavour notes that are undoubtedly growing in popularity, The Garlic Farm’s freshly extended Asian range is perfectly placed for independents wishing to not only excite the tastebuds of their most adventurous customers but step more lightly – and respectfully – on the natural world. PARTNER CONTENT