A FOOD delivery business which operates from a North Yorkshire family farm has become the fastest-growing firm of its type in the UK within three years of trading.

Riverford Organic delivers more than 3,000 boxes of organic produce across the North-East and Yorkshire every week, with order levels increasing as more people turn to healthy eating.

And the firm, based in Newby Wiske, is predicting further growth this year after deliveries of its home-produced vegetables increased by 40 per cent during last year. It is hoping to increase deliveries by a further 50 per cent.

Peter Robinson, with his wife Jo-ann, runs Riverford Organic from Home Farm, in Newby Wiske, and is the third generation of his family to operate the farm.

It converted to organic in 1996. The business was launched in February 2007.

Since that time, it has won regional and national awards, including being named the UK’s best ethical business in the Observer Ethical Awards 2009.

Riverford Organic is also bucking the trend in the industry, with the latest annual report from the Soil Association saying that sales of organic vegetable boxes are “at best, staying level, and, at worst, declining”.

Mr Robinson said that, while the business has been affected by the recession after a strong start, he is pleased that growth levels are returning, with customer retention rates also remaining high.

“The past three years have been eventful and, although we’ve been hit by the credit crunch like everyone else, the majority of our customers have stuck by us and we continue to attract new customers every day,” he said.

“Once you’ve tasted the quality and freshness of organic veg straight from the ground, it’s hard to go back to the supermarket alternatives.”

Riverford Organic was set up with the aim of making organic food more accessible and affordable. Every vegetable box from Riverford comes with a weekly newsletter, including recipe suggestions.

Mr Robinson said: “Riverford’s excellent customer retention rates are down to us understanding our customers’ needs.

“Not everyone can come up with new and interesting ways of cooking broccoli, so our recipes are aimed at inspiring and educating even the most novice cooks.”

In the coming months, it is looking to expand by hosting more guided tours of Home Farm, and will promote the Riverford Cooks project, which aims to encourage more people to start cooking with seasonal vegetables.