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THECOMMERCIAL GREENHOUSEGROWER • MARCH 2017
ABBEY VIEW •
AHORTICULTURAL
LEGEND
Last year, Abbey ViewProduce’sManagingDirector, Brian
Hibberd, won a LifetimeAchievement Award in recognition of
his efforts in the industry he has been a part of for 50 years.
He talks toAdrian Tatum about the history and development of
Abbey ViewProduce and the challenges and opportunities for
glasshouse growers in the Lea Valley.
He has got a tale or two to tell has BrianHibberd. But that is
what comeswith spending 50 years in the horticultural sector.
It has been an impressive half a century toowith him leading
Lea Valley basedAbbey ViewProduce to becoming one of the
biggest andmost successful companies in the glasshouse
sector.
But that might be because horticulture has always been a
part of his life. Mr Hibberd’s first memories of the industry
was as an eight year oldwhen he accompanied his father on
visits to see growerswhere theywould source the very best
cucumbers. Hewasn’t that much older when he and a friend
spent the day at a local nursery de-leafing tomatoes. “We
worked all day and the owner then told uswe had to clear up
the leaves. It took so long that we didn’t get home until it was
dark andmy Dadwas livid, but wemade somemoney and it
mademe realisewhat I wanted to dowhen I was older-I was
very comfortable in that environment,” he says.
He started his career as an apprentice in the oldCovent
Gardenmarket learning his trade not only from his father but
also from some of the best salesmen in themarket. The job
waswithColemans, which specialised in tomatoes, peppers
and Lea Valley cucumbers. It wasn’t long after that increasing
interest in this type of produce from an emerging range of
supermarket customers got him thinking. He spotted an
opportunity to create a central collection point for different
types of produce grown in the Lea Valley, close to some
of the supermarkets’ depots andGeorgeColeman Lea
Valleywas formed, initially run by his father. The company
grew quickly, expanding in the Lea Valley-workingwithmore
growers and taking on extra glass in the Isle ofWight-which
eventually becameWight Salads. It was after his father’s death
in 1982, that Mr Hibberddecided to leaveCovent Garden
and concentrate on the business in the Lea Valleywhich
was continuing to developwell. But despite the success, the
business had to survive two arson attacks to continue and as
a result moved toWalthamAbbey and changed its name to
Abbey ViewProduce to allow it to have its own land to grow
on, aswell as continue as amarketing company for other
growers in the region.
After all these years, Abbey ViewProduce remains as strong
as ever. It is amajor supplier to the retailers and has the largest
group of UK cucumber growerswho represent approximately
35% of all land dedicated to the glasshouse crop. Its growing
base now covers 100 acres in the Lea Valley, 10 of which
belong toAbbey View for its own growing enterprise.
Mr Hibberd continues to pay an active part in the company
and last year was awarded for his efforts in the industry after
receiving the LifetimeAchievement award at theUKGrower
Awards. “The Lea Valleywill always be a special place for
glasshouse growers and especially cucumber growers. It
is amazingwhen I think back to those early days and how
different it is nowbut it is also funny really because some
things never change.We realised last year that there is one
customer we have beenworkingwith for over 50 years now
and I think that says it all about Abbey ViewProduce as a
company.”
Throughout his career, Mr Hibberd has never been afraid to
try something different. “I like trying something new. I think it is
healthy for a business to do so. Yes volume is important these
days but you can also be different and crop diversification
can be just as important and help growers drivemore profit
BrianHibberd.
