Winners in the Norfolk Rural Business Awards are cream of the crop

They are among the best when it comes to showcasing everything from fresh produce to innovation in the county and their achievements have been celebrated in the Norfolk Rural Business Awards.

Winners of the Norfolk Rural Business Awards with their trophies

Seventy entries were received and the winners and runners up in nine different categories were unveiled in a ceremony at this year's Royal Norfolk Show on Thursday 26 June. The event was hosted by Emily Norton, a trustee of the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association (RNAA) and a commentator on farming and sustainability.

This is the second year of the awards which are organised by Norfolk County Council in partnership with the RNAA and held at the Norfolk Showground.

The winners and runners up were as follows:

Best Rural Community Initiative - sponsored by Aviva Community Fund

Winner - Helping Hands (Thrive & The Pantry)

Runner up - Folk in a Field

Best Farming Innovation Adopter - sponsored by Lovewell Blake

Winner - Pearn Wyatt & Son

Runner up - Fischer Farms

Best Food and Drink Producer - sponsored by Fountain Fresh

Winner - Nurtured in Norfolk

Runner up - Barsham Brewery

Norfolk's Unsung Hero - sponsored by Poultec

Winner - David Holliday (Moon Gazer Ale)

Runners up - Ben Eagle (Rural Pod Media); Neal Sands (Sands Agricultural Machinery)

Best Farming Champion - sponsored by CLG Norfolk Ltd

Winner - Richard Hirst

Runners up - Michael Balls, David Lyles

Best Emerging Talent - sponsored by PlantGrow

Winner - Henry Stanford

Runner up - Abigail Mallett

Best Rural Tourism Attraction - sponsored by Thursford

Winner - Pensthorpe

Runner up - Watatunga Wildlife Reserve

Best Sustainable Land Use - sponsored by Birketts

Winner - Wendling Beck

Runner up - North Norfolk Coastal Group

Best Rural Business - sponsored by New Anglia Growth Hub

Winner - Algy's Farm Shop

Runners up - Norfolk Stores Ltd; The Angel Inn Loddon

Published: 27 June 2025