Westlands

It’s been 80 years since the company’s beginning in the Vale of Evesham, and the principles of personal care and product quality exhibited across the micro leaves, edible flowers and speciality produce ranges that Westlands supply have been passed down from generation to generation.

Exclusive Interview | Answers by: William Boer, Growing Manager

What does a typical day look like for you?

No two days look the same, which I love. But many times I’ll start the day by checking in with our growers at the Evesham site on crop & harvest updates and troubleshooting any issues, or I’ll be focusing on R&D and innovation planning for new for upcoming years, as well as improving onsite processes. There will also usually be customer meetings, sharing our amazing products and hosting tasting sessions.

What do you enjoy most about the industry?

The diversity of produce, the potential of what we can create, and the constant inspiration we get from our community of chefs. The needs of our customers are always evolving, and I love that we evolve alongside them. It’s this fast-paced, exciting way of working that is most enjoyable to me. We love being leaders in the industry, always refining our sustainable processes and carving the way for future generations of Westlands’.

Can you talk us through the growing cycle, including time frames, impacts on growth etc.?

We grow most of our large range of produce all year round. Our provide the perfect home; with plenty of natural light and protection from the good old British weather, we’re able to produce consistently high-quality products. In terms of the growing cycle and time frames, this largely depends on the product but it can be anywhere from 30 days to several months.

What sustainable initiatives do you do at Westlands?

We’re constantly improving  our sustainable growing game! From having LED lights in our glasshouses, to harvesting and recycling rainwater, we pursue many sustainable practices on-site. Our range of Micro Leaves are grown in recycled fabric offcuts instead of soil, and our standard packaging is RPET – the most widely recycled plastic in the UK. Recently, we’ve installed solar panels on top of our packhouse and are making investments in our water resources and waste handling systems.

Any interesting facts about your business you’d like to share?

Our Westlands name originates from a region in the western Netherlands, taking inspiration from our Dutch heritage. Since our beginning in 1941, we’ve continually innovated our range of produce and ways of working. For example, in 2007, we invested in a fully automated system as we brought Micro Leaves to the UK, and have grown our range of produce exponentially since then. More recently, this summer, we are collaborating with Michelin-starred restaurant Carters Of Moseley, as they open a pop-up restaurant in one of our disused glasshouses. Featuring our produce in all of their dishes, it’s awesome to gain this raw insight into how our products are used by top chefs.

Interesting facts about your produce and tips for chefs using your produce?

We have so many… but to name a few:

– Our Buzz Button Flowers leave an electric tingling sensation on the tongue – a little like popping candy!

– Blue Borage flowers can be used to make blue dye, and turn pink with acid.

– Our ‘Taste of the Sea’ range includes a selection of coastal herbs and sea vegetables. We’ve carefully curated a specific mix of nutrients to replicate the salinity of the sea.

– We are one of the only British growers of Wasabi Rhizomes; it mainly grows in mountain stream beds in Japan. So, as it needs plenty of shading and lots of water, we adapted an area in our glasshouse here in the UK to give it just that, along with all the nutrients they needed to grow into strong, flavoursome Rhizomes.