Breakfast followed by talk and questions.
You are invited to the next meeting of the Herefordshire Conservative Business Forum on Friday 28th June 7.15am for 7.30 start, finish by 9am at The Harewood End Inn on the A49 at Harewood End, HR2 8JT, when our speaker will be Jo Hilditch DL, Managing Director of Whittern Farms Ltd and White Heron Brands Ltd (British Cassis).
Before moving to Herefordshire, Jo began her working life in London. She was an Account Manager first for Countrywide Communications and then for Powerhouse Public Relations with clients including Eurotunnel and Savills. She then became Marketing Director for Carlton Tennis Club.
In the early 90s Jo became involved with farming with her late father Richard. In 1997 she diversified into cider apples, holiday lets and chickens. Whittern Farms Ltd now produces around 7 million chickens per year for Cargill Meats Europe, 350 tonnes blackcurrants for Ribena, 25 tonnes blackcurrants for British Cassis, 25 tonnes for Jam and 1500 tonnes cider apples for Bulmers. The farm has a medium size arable operation and a diverse self-catering tourism operation. Jo has directed this company through the ups and downs of the last 20 years facilitating development and identifying opportunities for grant funding and diversification, including developing British Cassis.
White Heron Brands was split from the Whittern Farms Ltd in 2015. A rebranding exercise then took place in order to take the already established product to a new level. This culminated in receiving 3 offers from the Dragons on Dragons Den! Jo has taken the brand to a new level with great success and recognition as well as winning many awards along the way.
Jo has embraced opportunities for environmental benefit and has completed 10 years of a Countryside Stewardship Scheme and started a Higher Level Scheme alongside a Wildlife Trust Scheme. She has also chaired national level interest groups for the Blackcurrant Industry and regional groups for the Broiler Growing Industry. She sits on numerous committees and is also a Deputy Lieutenant of
Herefordshire. Married to Ian, owner and MD of ETL and they have 3 children.
Herefordshire CBF welcomes everyone in business or interested in business and of any political persuasion or of none
If you would like to attend the Business Forum Breakfast please complete the booking form.