Agricultural Business Consultancy Study Tour 2025

Recently over 40 professionals from the Brown&Co Agricultural Business Consultancy (ABC) Division participated in the annual study tour to the 2025 destination, Kent. The group ranged from Placement students, recent Graduates to well-seasoned Partners in the Firm. The trip provided opportunity to appreciate the geological importance of Kent along with their main agricultural methods from brewery hop growing, production of fruit and the range of vineyards scattered across the county. 

The first day saw the ABC teams travelling to Kent, joining up for a visit to Biddenden Vineyards located just an hour from Canterbury. 

The team were greeted by Julian Barnes who is a second-generation grower and winemaker and Tom Barnes who was a third-generation grower and winemaker. Upon arrival the ABC team were welcomed with a glass of the English sparking rose, produced using the pinot noir grape variety grown in the vineyard. 

Julian Barnes provided a talk on the history of the business and the wines they produce. The first Biddenden wine was bottled in 1972 with production now creating approximately 80,000 bottles per year, based on around 23 acres of production where 12 different grape varieties are grown. The ortega grape variety producers the farm’s signature wine. 

Tom Barnes gave a tour of the vineyard showing the ortega, pinot noir, and the Reisling varieties. The team were offered the opportunity to taste the various varieties.  

After the vineyard tour, Tom then guided us through the production facilities on site, which compromised the complete process from picking to bottling, a process which is fulfilled in house. As well as tasting the diverse range of wines they offered, we were also able to sample the cider which was produced on site from local apples.

After the Biddenden tour, the team then headed to the Hukins Hops farm tour where Dom showed the team around a 120 year old Family hop farm, we saw different varieties of hops such as Ernest and Bullion which give off apricot and orange flavours as seen in the more ‘modern craft beers’. In addition to this, we were able to see the processing of hops through their hop’s processing plant and saw the stages right through to packing the hops in bales. The team were given a demonstration in how the drying kilns worked. Finally, the team headed to the McCanns Brewery tap room to enjoy a drink created from the hops that were used on site. 

In conclusion of the first day the team enjoyed the ABC meal which was a great networking opportunity for the placement students and new graduates, where we were able to connect with other members within the ABC team and to strengthen team dynamics outside the office environment. 

The Final day of the study tour compromised of a tour of Charltons Kent packaging plant and fruit growing facilities. Charltons were established in 1946 and their operation spans around 132 hectares of growing space as well as around six hectares of warehouse and packing facilities. In addition to they have two farms in Norfolk. The Kent site was able to pack and store top, soft and stone fruit from both overseas and UK growers as well as having contracts with most of the UK leading supermarkets. 

The study tour provided a great opportunity to gain experience about the agricultural region of Kent and experience the diverse types of farming systems and hear about the challenges those producers face. 

It was a fantastic opportunity to network with people outside of their offices and was enjoyed by all of the Brown&Co Agricultural Business Consultancy team.