Winchester Farm Shop Hosts French Farmers Exploring Diversification

Westlands Farm Shop on Winchester High Street was visited by a delegation of French farmers exploring the concept of bringing farming and agriculture to the city.

The shop recently welcomed a group of French farmers and local government representatives exploring farm diversification opportunities to support small family farms in France.

The visiting group came to the Winchester High Street store as an example of successful farm diversification, demonstrating how taking "the farm to the city" can create new revenue streams while connecting urban consumers directly with local producers.

Westlands Farm Shop specialises in locally-sourced produce, with meat from the shop’s own livestock in Bishop's Waltham and products from Hampshire suppliers. The Winchester store, which celebrated its first anniversary on the High Street in 2025, represents an innovative approach to farm diversification that bridges the gap between rural producers and urban consumers.

Graham Collett, farmer and Westlands Farm Shop owner, hosted the group and shared insights and experiences with the farm shop, supply chain relationships, and the challenges and opportunities of bringing farm-fresh produce to city centres.

"It was a great experience with lots of knowledge shared in both directions. It was also lovely to hear how they do things in France," said Graham. "Farm diversification is crucial for the survival of small family farms, and it's encouraging to see international interest in different models of connecting farmers directly with consumers."

The French farmers are conducting research across the UK to gather best practices and case studies that can inform support programmes for small family farms facing similar challenges in France, including rising costs, changing consumer habits, and the need for sustainable business models.

Of particular interest was Westlands' range of frozen vegetables, fruits, and oven-ready items produced by Fieldfare.

"In France, they sell a much higher proportion of fresh vegetables than we do as they are culturally different and most people would cook using whole foods and fresh ingredients," explained Graham. "Over here the convenience market is much more developed."

The visit highlighted growing international interest in UK farm diversification strategies, particularly models that maintain the integrity of small-scale farming while creating viable urban retail presences.

Westlands Farm Shop is celebrating its 25th anniversary in business this year and has a shop near Wickham, and opened its Winchester branch in 2024. The business model demonstrates how farms can extend their reach beyond traditional farm gate sales while maintaining quality and connection to local producers.

The Winchester store features an in-house butchery with meat from Westlands' own herd, seasonal vegetables, artisan cheeses, locally roasted coffee, and products from dozens of Hampshire and surrounding county suppliers.