Q&A: Does Riverford Organic Farmers Franchise in the UK?

Cara Squires, writer

Published at 25/12/2021, Updated on 04/05/2022 , Reading time: 5 min

Q&A: Does Riverford Organic Farmers Franchise in the UK? — Photo © Q_A-Does-Riverford-Organic-Farmers-Franchise-in-the-UK.jpg

If you’ve got a green thumb and a strong desire to launch a vegetarian food franchise that delivers veg-filled boxes of supplies to customer doorsteps, a Riverford franchise is a great option. This food delivery business has been taking the UK by storm since the 80s, delivering to approximately 90,000 homes each week. But what’s out there, in terms of Riverford Organic Farmers franchise opportunities? Find out below.

Riverford Organic Farmers food box delivery services are well-loved and largely consist of super-healthy, super-well-sourced fruits and vegetables. They reside within a growing niche of the wider food delivery market, which was worth over £8.5 billion as of 2019 [Statista]. As you try to choose the right healthy food franchise for you, a Riverford Organic Farmers franchise is well worth your consideration.

Does Riverford Organic Farmers franchise in the UK?

Yes, Riverford Organic Farmers does indeed franchise in the UK. You can launch your own Riverford Organic Farmers business right now and become a “co-owner” of the popular brand, joining a network that is currently over 50 franchisees strong and has a presence from one end of the UK to the other.

As a Riverford franchisee you will mix working from your home office and driving out on delivery rounds to optimise operational efficiencies and build personal relationships with your customers. You will attend seasonal shows and events [...] to boost customer acquisition, and you will be motivated by improving customer retention levels, and increasing customer order value. - Riverford Organic Farmers

The history of Riverford Organic Farmers ready meals, food boxes and recipes

Riverford Organic Farmers was founded in 1986 by Guy Singh-Watson in Buckfastleigh, Devon. The company started out of Riverford Farm, which was purchased by the Watson family back in the 50s. In its earliest form, Riverford consisted of Guy delivering just 30 boxes each week, mostly to family and friends in the surrounding area. But by 2018, this figure had risen immensely to an incredible 45,000 - and it’s now approaching 100,000!

The weekly boxes, which primarily include organic fruit and veg (as well as meat, dairy, wine and other pantry staples) are now sourced from Riverford, its three sister farms across the country (and its fourth in France). They come with a newsletter containing some yummy Riverford Organic Farmers recipes and relevant news. In 2015, Riverford’s veg boxes were awarded Ethical Product of the Decade [Observer Ethical Awards]. In June 2018, Guy sold 74% of Riverford to its employees, “confident that staff ownership [would] protect and develop Riverford’s model of sustainable food production and lock in place the values on which the business was founded”.

The rejection of outside investors and choice of [employee ownership] to secure its succession continues Riverford’s challenging stance on business norms. [...] Done well, it has demonstrable benefits for staff and business, including higher productivity, higher morale, and less debt. - Riverford Organic Farmers

>> Read more:

Start a franchise in the food industry with a Riverford food delivery business

There are few organic food franchise investments as sound and ethical as Riverford Organic Farmers. Iif what you’ve learned so far has only further intrigued you and made you more determined to make a career change with this healthy food franchise, keep reading. Discover the answers to the following three questions, and you’ll know everything you need to in order to go ahead with an investment...

1. How do you go about becoming a Riverford Organic Farmers franchisee?

You can start the journey towards becoming a Riverford franchisee by requesting more information from the company, either directly through its website or via the British Franchise Association. You don’t need any prior experience to franchise with Riverford Organic Farmers, as full training will be provided to you upon your investment that fills any knowledge gaps.

You will, however, need a strong passion for food, an entrepreneurial spirit and a dedication to the provision of excellent customer service. Plus, you should ideally come from a background that, though it needn’t be expressly relevant, is professional (think areas like IT, marketing, sales, finance and management).

2. How much do you need to invest?

The start-up costs associated with launching your own Riverford Organic Farmers franchise stand at around £40,000. Though the network is vast and the brand name is widely recognised, this figure is still below £42,200, the average cost of launching a franchise as of 2018 [British Franchise Association].

If you’re looking for a lower-cost option in a similar sector, consider investing with My Local Farm Box instead. My Local Farm Box is a fresh food subscription service, and you can become a franchisee for a minimum initial investment of £5,950, with franchise fees of £4,950 and a total investment cost of £7,300.

>> Read more:

3. What do you get for your investment?

We’ve had a lot of support from Riverford head office from day one. They’ve helped us with everything from setting up the business to our initial launch campaign, which included PR and leafleting. In our first delivery week we had just 60 deliveries to make. We’ve now got 500+ per week, with plans for further expansion. - Mary Watson, Riverford Organic Farmers Sheffield

Your initial programme of training, post-investment, will cover all aspects of running a Riverford Organic Farmers franchise (including organic farming methods, customer acquisition and retention, marketing, online ordering and payments and accounts). You’ll then be provided with all the ongoing assistance that you need, both in the form of field support and head office guidance.

Start running your own franchise selling Riverford food boxes

If you’re more ready than ever to invest with Riverford Organic Farmers, you should now be equipped with all you need to know to make that happen. If you’re still trying to find the ideal franchise for you, stay on Point Franchise and continue your research. Browse the site’s wide range of food franchise investment opportunities, from Snack Aid all the way to Camile Thai.