Farmers Weekly Awards 2025: Diversification Farmer of the Year

The Marshall family of Marshall’s Farm Shop, Inverurie, are the winners of Farmers Weekly Awards 2025 Diversification Farmer of the Year.

From a modest self-service trailer set up 20 years ago, Marshall’s Farm Shop has expanded to include a restaurant, butchery, gift shop, and drive-thru.

Behind this success is the Marshall family, who have turned their traditional mixed farm into a fully integrated and diversified enterprise, supplying home-grown food while also supporting the local economy.

It was founded by Kenneth and Moira Marshall, with their three daughters, Christine, Julie and Shona, all now also involved in the business.

See also: FW Awards: Meet the 2025 Diversification Farmer of the Year finalists

Youngest daughter Shona oversees the butchery and farming operations, the latter covering roughly 1,000ha of land across two sites.

The farm is predominantly grassland and they calve roughly 500 cows a year, with plans to expand to 600 cows during the next year.

The majority are Aberdeen Angus, which they have found to be easier calving than some of the continental breeds.

They also run 550 ewes, 30 breeding sows, and 2,000 laying hens, with produce sold directly to consumers through the farm shop.

Each week, roughly two lambs, four beef carcasses and five pigs from the farm are processed and sold through the butchery and restaurant.

The farm includes 350ha of arable ground, 5ha of potatoes, and 2.5ha of carrots, cauliflower, and cabbage, which are all sold in the shop.

Potatoes are used in the restaurant as chips and sold by the bag in store.

Wheat, malting barley and feed barley is grown on farm, with some of the wheat used as feed for the chickens and pigs, while feed barley is included in rations for the cattle.

Shop and restaurant

The business today employs around 125 people in the farm shop and a further seven on the farm itself.

Christine focuses on the commercial side of the business, while Julie manages the restaurant.

The restaurant is a particular draw, serving up to 800 covers each Sunday, with almost all the ingredients in the Sunday roast lunch either reared or grown on farm.

Furthermore, it provides an outlet for surplus cuts of meat from the butchery for use in other products, such as pies.

Kenneth says after being a “price taker” for many years as a dairy farmer, the family decided they were going to change the farming enterprise and sell their own produce direct to customers.

He says: “This has allowed us to price it and be in control.

 “Diversifying the business has been an ongoing process from day one and now three generations forward we strive to maintain the dynamic approach that has brought us to where we are today.”

The Marshalls are also preparing an extension to the existing shop and butchery and have revealed future plans to build a country store on ground adjacent to the farm shop, stocking agricultural supplies and clothing.

Other diversifications include dog walking fields, a dog grooming facility, and children’s play area.

A number of solar panels have been installed across the back of the building, which covers most of the electricity used during the day.

A trailer repair workshop operates alongside the farm business.

What the judges say

“The Marshall family run an exceptional farm-to-fork enterprise. Their impressive daughters exemplify a cohesive, innovative family approach to successful diversification.”