The World of Hospitality Issue 34 2019 | Page 50

50 the World Of Hospitality Yeo Valley Cafe Phoenix Wharf creates first London presence for Britain’ s leading organic dairy brand Yeo Valley Bars Somerset family farm enterprise, Yeo Valley, also Britain’s leading organic dairy brand, is expanding on the success of both its dairy product range and its Blagdon-based farm, café and garden in deepest Somerset by opening its very first London outlet, comprised of a two-storey café, shop and workspace on Queensway in west London, designed by award-winning South West creative agency Phoenix Wharf. the company’s Blagdon HQ also offers a lively events calendar throughout the year, including educational trips, art days, garden masterclasses and a ‘Farm to Fridge’ day, with all food produced and cooked on site. As a brand, Yeo Valley is synonymous with the quality of its products and its ethical approach to animal husbandry, with the farm’s famous herd digitally-monitored, given only the best organic feed and mattresses to sleep on. A two-storey site was located in Queensway, an area of London currently undergoing major regeneration, which offered a great location between Hyde Park and Notting Hill. The site is located directly opposite Queensway Station, making it prime for people coming out of the station or the park and looking either for eat-in or takeaway food. About Yeo Valley The Mead family, who run both the farms and the Yeo Valley enterprise, speak regularly about an approach to business and farming that’s good for animals, people and nature, drawing on the wisdom and experience of family head, Mary Mead OBE. ‘Phoenix Wharf had already been involved with the client prior to this project’, Phoenix Wharf Associate Director Emma Gullick explained. ‘We first worked with Yeo Valley to explore the feasibility of using part of the Blagdon HQ as a brand experiential space for group clients, conferences and events.’ The creative process and ideas that came out of the project created some bigger questions on how to showcase what Yeo Valley is all about and a relationship was created between the two parties, which led to Phoenix Wharf being invited to take part in – and go on to win – a three-way pitch for the design of the new London space. The Yeo Valley business has been developed over two generations. From the acquisition of its first Blagdon farm in 1961 to becoming a successful organic dairy producer with a British Friesian herd, adding beef cattle, sheep and a second farm along the way, Yeo Valley went on to work with other co- operative farmers and fruit-growers and is now Britain’s leading organic dairy brand, as well as a thriving local centre of activity. Offering hospitality in the form of an award- winning Canteen and access to a beautiful, Soil Association-certified organic garden, The move to London As part of the company’s natural growth and evolution, an increased London presence became desirable and the decision was taken to create a branded shop and canteen offer in London, as well as creating additional company meeting and workspace. Phoenix Wharf gets involved