The Midlands team are delighted to invite you to a bespoke visit to PDM Produce and the Shropshire AGM.

PDM are growers of salad crops and producers of ready to eat salad bags and bowls.  It was founded in 1991 by Philip Maddocks, a third-generation farmer born and bred in Shropshire. Philip’s grandfather, Wilfred grew vegetables for the markets with 1 acre of land from the 1930s. Wilfred grew this into a successful and respected farming enterprise which Philip’s father and now brother have continued in the same spirit.

PDM has grown from 10 acres of iceberg lettuce to 3,800 acres of salad crops with over 25 types of salad, and two prepared salad production sites today. The business has spanned more than three decades, making them one of the UK’s leading salad growers and innovative prepared salad businesses. They are the UK’s second largest whole head lettuce grower, largest babyleaf grower and the UK’s first vertically integrated producer of fully prepared bagged salads.

They work in partnership with some of Britain’s leading retailers, foodservice companies, wholesalers and specialist outlets, including Waitrose, Morrisons, Coop, Asda, Sainsburys, Iceland, Aldi and Lidl.

 The day will begin with an introduction to PDM Salad Growers by Dermot Tobin, MD Farming & Procurement and Tim Beattie, MD Prepared & Sales. Followed by guided walking tours of the factory and farm. Tour 1 will cover the farming operations including drilling, planting, harvesting; environmental management and the farm workshop.  Tour 2 will be at one of the prepared salad production sites to show the process flow from raw material and field packed product intake to chilled dispatch, as well as viewing of the prepared salad production and onsite farm juicery.

You will enjoy a BBQ with locally sourced food and produce grown on site followed by an update on the latest issues affecting members by CLA Vice President, Eliza Ecclestone and Shropshire AGM, before departure.

Please ensure suitable footwear and clothing is worn. There will be walking tours which will take place outdoors and will be for approx. three hours with periods of stopping and starting. There will be one flight of stairs to ascend and descend on the walking tour.

PROGRAMME  
9.30am Arrival and refreshments 
- Welcome from PDM 
- Guided walking tour
- Lunch – BBQ & dessert of local produce   
- AGM   
- CLA officer update
3pm Depart

A donation will be made to CLA Charitable Trust and Severn Hospice.

If you have any questions or would like to book a ticket please contact midlands@cla.org.uk or contact the Midlands office on 01785 337010.

This event is supported by:
 WR Partners