Job title: Managing director
Company name: The Orchard Pig
Sales: £900,000 (2010)
HQ location: West Bradley, Somerset
Number of employees: 13
What's it like to work for your company? Brilliant. I started as a hobby making cider and fruit juice how I liked them. I can't think of a better way to spend my working days!
Why is it a good employer? There is no obvious hierarchy. We all work as a team, pitch in and share the work. All staff are treated fairly and equally which creates a very positive environment to work in.
What's the best thing about working there? The people, the products and our wonderful orchard location oh, and the pigs!
Does the company offer any unusual benefits? Cider and bacon.
How does the company differ from its rivals? We have a quirky brand. Who else has a pig for their hero and looks after traditional Somerset orchards like we do? Our Orchard Groundforce looks after, to some capacity, about 1,000 acres of Somerset Orchards maintaining, renovating, planting (over 33,000 trees in the last two years) and re-planting. Schools regularly visit us for educational orchard tours and activities. We also run orchard workshops and have been advising and training the National Trust in orchard management.
Is there a definable company culture? Absolutely. We want to make people smile and the pig helps us do this with a gentle sense of humour. Pigs are such social, carefree animals that you can't help but smile when watching them at work. Everything we do must be as good as we can do it: our products must taste great, be from English orchards and absolutely no porkies.
If the company were a car what would it be and why? VW Traveller mischievous, generous, modest, self-assured, genuine, intelligent and knowledgeable.
Has the company won any awards? We've won Great Taste Awards, as well as the Somerset New Business Award and Somerset Taste Best Drinks Producer Award.
What's your proudest achievement of the last 12 months? Winning awards, making people smile, growing as a business and creating new jobs.
What is the most important HR issue you are dealing with at the moment? Keeping everyone's motivation level at the current high while going into a very challenging time for the business. Our growth targets for next year are set high in what will be a challenging business environment.
How does one go about applying for a job? Talk to me and wow us.
What tips would you offer job seekers? Be commercially aware, socially aware and ever-so passionate. You've got to want to make a difference and really feel you can.
Are you working on anything exciting right now? Lots, but we can't tell you! However, if you come and see us at a Christmas market you can taste them for yourselves.
Company name: The Orchard Pig
Sales: £900,000 (2010)
HQ location: West Bradley, Somerset
Number of employees: 13
What's it like to work for your company? Brilliant. I started as a hobby making cider and fruit juice how I liked them. I can't think of a better way to spend my working days!
Why is it a good employer? There is no obvious hierarchy. We all work as a team, pitch in and share the work. All staff are treated fairly and equally which creates a very positive environment to work in.
What's the best thing about working there? The people, the products and our wonderful orchard location oh, and the pigs!
Does the company offer any unusual benefits? Cider and bacon.
How does the company differ from its rivals? We have a quirky brand. Who else has a pig for their hero and looks after traditional Somerset orchards like we do? Our Orchard Groundforce looks after, to some capacity, about 1,000 acres of Somerset Orchards maintaining, renovating, planting (over 33,000 trees in the last two years) and re-planting. Schools regularly visit us for educational orchard tours and activities. We also run orchard workshops and have been advising and training the National Trust in orchard management.
Is there a definable company culture? Absolutely. We want to make people smile and the pig helps us do this with a gentle sense of humour. Pigs are such social, carefree animals that you can't help but smile when watching them at work. Everything we do must be as good as we can do it: our products must taste great, be from English orchards and absolutely no porkies.
If the company were a car what would it be and why? VW Traveller mischievous, generous, modest, self-assured, genuine, intelligent and knowledgeable.
Has the company won any awards? We've won Great Taste Awards, as well as the Somerset New Business Award and Somerset Taste Best Drinks Producer Award.
What's your proudest achievement of the last 12 months? Winning awards, making people smile, growing as a business and creating new jobs.
What is the most important HR issue you are dealing with at the moment? Keeping everyone's motivation level at the current high while going into a very challenging time for the business. Our growth targets for next year are set high in what will be a challenging business environment.
How does one go about applying for a job? Talk to me and wow us.
What tips would you offer job seekers? Be commercially aware, socially aware and ever-so passionate. You've got to want to make a difference and really feel you can.
Are you working on anything exciting right now? Lots, but we can't tell you! However, if you come and see us at a Christmas market you can taste them for yourselves.
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