Hall Hunter Marks 60 Years At The Heart Of British Berry Growing

One of Britain’s best-known berry producers is celebrating a major milestone, as Hall Hunter Partnership marks 60 years of growing fruit in the UK.

The family-owned business, founded by Mark and Mary Hall in 1966, began life supplying salad crops and vegetables to London wholesale markets while also offering Pick Your Own experiences. Six decades later, the company has become one of the UK’s leading berry growers and is now recognised as the country’s largest blueberry producer.

Today, Hall Hunter grows strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries across sites in Berkshire and Surrey, supplying major UK retailers and helping to drive the continued growth of the British berry category.

According to reports marking the anniversary, the business now accounts for almost half of all British blueberry production — a remarkable transformation from its modest beginnings.

The anniversary comes at a time when demand for berries continues to rise, with consumers increasingly seeking healthy, convenient fresh produce options and retailers placing greater emphasis on British-grown fruit during the domestic season.

Hall Hunter has also become closely associated with innovation in protected growing, crop development and sustainable production methods, helping to extend the British berry season while improving fruit quality and consistency.

Its long-standing success reflects the wider evolution of the UK berry sector itself, which has seen significant investment and rapid growth over recent decades as growers respond to changing consumer habits and advances in production technology.

Reaching a 60-year milestone is no small achievement in modern horticulture, particularly during a period of mounting pressures around labour availability, production costs, sustainability demands and climate volatility.

Yet Hall Hunter’s story demonstrates how long-term investment, adaptability and a strong commitment to British growing can help businesses thrive across generations.

For the UK fresh produce industry, the anniversary is not simply a celebration of one company’s history, but also a reminder of how far British berry production has come and how important domestic growers remain to the future resilience of the nation’s food supply.