The Black Farmer has opened its first permanent retail site in Brixton Village, London, in mid December 2023. Taking the form of a farmshop that marries urban accessibility with rural charm, the farmshop offers offer high-quality produce, ready-to-eat meals, food on-the-go, gifts, and a verdant café bar. The Black Farmer was founded by Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones MBE and has gone on to become a leading brand for both its product quality and its activism in the agricultural space.
Opening in Brixton Village’s historic Market Row, the 5,000 sq ft store stocks The BlackFarmer range as well as showcasing brands from Emmanuel-Jones’ initiative The Hatchery; an incubator hub for startups and up-and-coming food brands that have been identified as offering quality produce and mission-focused entrepreneurs.
The Black Farmer brand launched in 2004 after founder Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones MBE fulfilled a lifelong ambition to buy a small farm in Devon and start up his business selling premium quality, ethically sourced farm food online. The name “The Black Farmer” not only reflects Wilfred’s own identity, but also serves as a statement of pride and empowerment for people of colour in the farming industry. The Black Farmer has grown to be one of the UK’s largest suppliers of premium farm foods from Devon, with products stocked in retailers including M&S, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Ocado.
Renowned for his commitment to sustainable agriculture and community empowerment, Wilfred is on a mission to revolutionise urban retail, starting with his first bricks and mortar retail space in Market Row, Brixton Village. The choice to open in Brixton represents a profound connection to his roots as part of the Windrush generation, and The Black Farmer Farmshop is set to become a mainstay in the epicentre of London’s culinary diversity.
“I’m excited to announce that The Black Farmer is planting its roots right here in Brixton. My brand new 5,000 sqft store in South London is now open in the heart of Market Row. It’s my first bricks and mortar store and we’ve stripped this space right back to its foundations, uncovering a beautiful atrium area that will form the centrepiece of my new farmshop” said Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones MBE, Founder of The Black Farmer. “The Black Farmer has always been a brand that represents change, and what can be achieved from a diverse blackbackground. This is going to be a farm shop that can appeal to everyone. My ambition is to become the Black Selfridges!”
With the opening of The Black Farmer, Brixton Village’s Market Row will serve as a bridge between rural farms and urban consumers, rekindling the farm-to-city connection where shoppers can access fresh, ethically-sourced products. The launch is a physical testament to Wilfred’s belief that everyone – regardless of their location – deserves access to high-quality, sustainable products that benefit both consumers and the industry.
Diana Nabagereka, General Manager of Brixton Village, shared her excitement, saying: “Introducing The Black Farmer as our anchor tenant in Market Row demonstrates our ongoing commitment to preserving our heritage as a market offering quality produce. The brand’s commitment to community empowerment via the Hatchery initiative aligns perfectly with our reputation as a springboard for new businesses. We can’t wait to see the positive impact his presence will have on Brixton Village and what it brings to Market Row.”
The Black Farmer Farmshop is the first opening in a wider suite of renovations for Market Row, which will see a stretch of reimagined units act as an incubator hub for local emerging businesses. This is the latest evolution in Brixton Village’s long history as a breeding ground for success, following the birth of beloved London brands such as Honest Burgers, Franco Manca, Chishuru and Okan, breathing new life into this section of Market Row with careful and considered restorations of the grade II listed building. The relaunched Market Row lineup will carefully balance the old and the new, holding on to the beloved, long standing businesses who have enjoyed success over decades such as Healthy Eaters, Esme’s, and May Foods.