The Berry Specialists Translate Home About Us What We Do Our Locations News Recipes Careers Contact COMPANY HISTORY Angus Soft Fruits Ltd was established in 1994 with the ambition to sell fruit directly to retailers and continually improve the product available to consumers. The business has expanded through working with Angus Growers Ltd, a soft fruit producer organisation and through collaboration with over 50 likeminded growers globally for year round supply. Planting begins... After National service, Willie Porter first (hand) planted 2 acres of strawberries. They travelled in an open lorry and sold at the Manchester fruit market. 1964 Business going well... Willie Porters strawberries did so well, he trebled up for the next two years. Most of the fruit travelled again in an open lorry to the Manchester Fruit market, but some travelled on the fish train to London Covent Garden. 1965 to 1966 Gone travelling... After a 2 year working holiday, where James Gray was farming around the world, he decided to plant 30 acres of raspberries. The crop did exceptionally well and was sold to the Manchester fruit market and some other fruit markets in England. 1975 Strawberries planted... After seeing the success of his raspberry crops, James started growing strawberries. 1978 Lochy takes over East Seaton After his formal education and working on a farm in South Island of New Zealand, Lochy Porter took over the tenancy over the farm from his father in 1991. He recognised that there were great changes happening in the soft fruit industry, whereby supermarkets were taking a keen interest alongside the growing techniques were becoming ever more sophisticated. Lochy felt that growing soft fruit was the most interesting crop over all his other crops and cattle. Growing soft fruit in Scotland was a point of difference and allowed him to speak directly to retailers and hence Angus Soft Fruits was created. 1991 Angus Soft Fruits Established Angus Soft Fruits Ltd. was established in 1994 with the ambition to sell fruit directly to retailers and continually improve the product available to consumers. 1994 Seaton System Developed The Seaton System was developed by David Griffiths 2001 First R&D Innovation Site established. The first Angus Research and Development Innovation Site established. 2002 Angus Soft Fruits launch the first UK grown Premium Berry, AVA. 2003 Angus Growers Ltd. a soft fruit producer organisation & Angus Soft Fruit form an agency agreement to supply fruit to the major supermarkets. 2003 Good Natured Fruit was launched. 2005 Baby AVA Brand was launched 2008 Scotland Food and Drink Excellence Awards Good Natured wins the Fruit Category 2008 Good Natured wins a Quality Food Award 2009 Angus Soft Fruits opens Evesham Office, Orchard Farm 2010 Scotland Food and Drink awards Good Natured with the Marketing Initiave of the Year (2 years in a row!!) 2010 Winners of the Environmentally Sustainability Award at the Scotland Food and Drink Excellence Awards 2011 Launch of Angus Select Brand 2014 AVA Berries Brand Launched 2015 New Premises at Sandbrook Grounds for Angus Soft Fruits Breeding Programme 2016 Award Winners! AVA™ Star strawberry has won the top prize in the ‘best new edible crop variety’ category. Horticulture week – Business awards 2018” Winner of ‘Own Label Supplier of the Year’, Co-Op and Scotmid Scottish Supplier Awards Winner of “Fresh Produce Grower/ Supplier of the year” in UK’s Fruit & Vegetable Awards (FPJ) 2018 Award Winners! Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) Fresh Awards. winning the coveted Foodservice Supplier of the Year Award. Wholesale or Foodservice Supplier of the year ‘ FPJ Live Best Marketing or Digital Initiative for AVABerries summer experiential campaign 2019 THERE IS AN INCREDIBLE 145 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN SOFT FRUIT WITHIN OUR TECHNICAL TEAM WHICH DEMONSTRATES OUR DEDICATION, DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE AND PASSION FOR BERRIES” DAVID CUTHBERT, TECHNICAL AND DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, ASF Get in touch Angus Soft Fruits Ltd East Seaton, Arbroath, Angus DD11 5SD info@angussoftfruits.co.uk Office (+44) 01241 879989 Salford Priors Packing Site: (+44) 01789 772033 View our privacy policy View our modern slavery statement Accreditations News FareShare October 29, 2021 Tartan Pro Tour October 28, 2021 Virtual Berry-Cook-A-Long July 28, 2021 SITE BY: SHINE - design & digital Staying COVID-19 secure: we have complied with the government’s request in managing the risk of COVID-19. Should you wish to view our COVID-19 risk assessment, please contact Marie Dawe, HR & Ethical Manager marie-dawe@angussoftfruits.com