Now in its fifth generation, Bardsley England, which has its headquarters in the Weald of Kent, in the heart of the Garden of England, harvests millions of apples, pears, plums and apricots for the UK’s fruit bowls, as well as producing and bottling its own range of high-quality fruit juices.
The deal with IPP, secured after a competitive tender, ensures its fruits arrive at the UK’s leading supermarkets in a just-in-time manner, as part of the sustainable circular economy.
Bardsley England, which operates across 17 farms across Kent and pack fruit on behalf of over 30 growers, is constantly researching best practice methods for delivering its products to market.
Under the stewardship of Managing Director Ben Bardsley, a former Sandhurst-trained army officer, the business has invested in the latest automated technology at its packhouse and even introduced a ‘parent shift’ to develop home grown sorters to fit around school times if recruiting seasonal staff becomes an issue after March 29.
“The thing I learned in the Army is always think to the finish, so you can see a way through the issue – that has helped me to steer the business,” said Ben, whose 2017 investment in automation saw a 30 per cent reduction in costs.
“We have a very collaborative approach and have signed with IPP because it shares our philosophy on sustainable supply chains in a competitive market.”
Other quality initiatives used includes automated camera technology that takes 150 images of each apple to detect size, weight, colour, sugar content and helps identify internal defects, an investment which paid for itself in the first year.
Phil Storer, UK and Ireland director of IPP, who first coined the phrase ECOnomics to describe sustainable deliver in the circular economy, said: “Bardsley England is a great example of business innovation in action. It is passionate about ideas and future-proofing its fruit production by squeezing every last drop of efficiency it can muster.
“This very much reflects our approach so we can grow together to harvest a great future,” he added.
For more information on IPP Logipal, head to their website https://www.faberhalbertsmagroup.com/en/businesses/ipp
