Ben's Farm Shops

Rooted in the Watson family's farming at Riverford, where John and Gillian took on the lease in 1952 and Oliver and Louise took over in 1990, this is a small group of shops built on organic and free-range produce rather than supermarket convenience. The Staverton shop grew from Ben's original stall into something with a butchery counter and a conservatory cafe. They also admit the fourth shop, at Sidmouth Garden Centre, was a disaster and closed within a year.

The traditional butcher's counter and the fruit and veg area sit at the heart of it, alongside provisions, wine, beer, cider, cheese and Riverford organic dairy. Their own farm kitchen supplies pies, pasties, preserves, soups, dips, cakes and traybakes, plus the sausages and dry cured bacon. Shops in Staverton, Totnes, Yealmpton and Exeter open seven days a week from 9am; the Totnes high street store is the one geared to a quick mid-week shop.