Wilfred Jones

Born in Jamaica and then after my parents came to the UK in the 1950s, I was raised in inner city Birmingham. It was here that my dream to own a farm began, as I, the eldest boy, had the responsibility of helping my father tend the family allotment. From a family of eleven, living in a small two-up two-down, the sense of space and freedom that the allotment provided instilled in me a love of being outdoors, nurturing plants that would provide much needed food for me and my family.

That was the beginning of a long journey. After leaving the Army, I began working for the BBC becoming a producer/director . I am credited with bringing many of the top celebrity chefs to the small screen including Gordon Ramsay, Antony Worrall-Thompson, Brian Turner and James Martin, before founding a food and drink marketing company in London. It took me 40 years, but I eventually fulfilled my childhood dream to own a small farm. It was here that I was inspired to launch The Black Farmer brand.

As I don’t have sufficient space on my farm for many animals, and as a passionate supporter of British farming, all the meat used in The Black Farmer products comes from British Quality Assured farms around the country.

Flavours without Frontiers – the promise offered by my products also goes some way to sum up my personality. In 2005 I launched a rural scholarship scheme through which young people from inner city communities are given the opportunity to experience what it is really like to live and work in the rural community.

The Black Farmer was born in 2004.

After years of travelling the world making TV films about food and drink I learned to appreciate well made simple food that tasted great. Whenever I returned to the UK after a journey abroad I longed for a Full English breakfast - sausages, bacon and eggs (whatever the time of day or night!). Nothing in the world can beat it. My own experience working on my father’s allotment in inner city Birmingham gave birth to my dream to own my own farm, which I fulfilled some 40 years later.