Supporting rural businesses

Business Link offers a unique service to businesses in the region - offering general and specialist advice for businesses at any stage and in any situation.

You don't have to go far in the East of England to find a business, particularly in the farming industry, who will tell you that business has rarely been more difficult than in the present economic climate. Ever-increasing regulation, poor weather, disease and turbulent markets combine to make this a particularly challenging.

Disease outbreaks are perhaps the hardest felt of all the natural disasters to befall a livestock farm. More distressing than the disease itself, however, is the ban on livestock movement.

At Beach Farm, Benacre, Suffolk, a transport ban came at the worst time. With 3,000 lambs ready to go, but unable to move, Tim and Heidi Crick were faced with the likelihood that they would have to sell well below the market price and lose a year's work - more than any business can absorb.

Funding from EEDA as part of a relief measure for the region and Business Link support was critical in helping Beach Farm find a more successful solution to the threat to their livelihood.

The Cricks had concluded that selling direct to the public might be their only viable option but they needed to know the best way to establish it as an effective alternative distribution channel for their lamb.

Jean Turnbull, Business Link's specialist adviser for Rural and Land Based Businesses, advised them. Jean's analysis of the problems facing Beach Farm identified its remote location, in a beautiful, but largely unpopulated part of coastal Suffolk as a significant issue. "Heidi's plans for selling her meat direct were impressive, but there were challenges."

Jean assisted in finding a suitably experienced marketing consultant who put together a largely PR-based plan to bring Beach Farm's story to the attention of the rest of the region. Heidi said: "The consultant we chose from Business Link's suggestions was fantastic. He arranged local media coverage, including radio interviews and features in several local newspapers."

Their marketing plan enabled the Cricks to identify the best routes to market and the most appropriate channels to attract an audience for their simple message of traditionally produced lamb. Now considerably more aware of their options, they have subsequently seen the benefit of additional marketing support from the English Beef and Lamb Executive, which provides a host of resources to producers and promotes meat to the public.

Business Link's intervention at Beach Farm was a disaster recovery operation, but it has had a lasting impact on a business whose owners now see more possibilities and opportunities where before they might have only seen more problems. They have begun to think about the future of the business from new perspectives. In IT, for example, they are considering further advice on internet based marketing and selling online. In production and marketing, they have joined the Renaissance Mutton campaign (promoted by Prince Charles) to extend the range of meat products they can offer to a broader market.

"There have been a huge amount of positives [from] what we thought was going to be a total disaster; we now have exciting plans for the future" said Heidi.

Business Link's advice is there to help your business whenever you need it, from early stage planning, running adjustments, or helping you recover from unexpected or difficult circumstances.

Visit the Business Link website for more information or call 08457 171615.