Ashton Farms Ltd enterprise: An evaluation of the viability of opening a farm shop near to Trowbridge, Wiltshire.

Abstract

Due to the present difficulties experienced in agriculture of low prices and increasing costs many farms are looking for ways of increasing their profit margins through diversification. This project investigates the option of building a farm shop enterprise on the authors' family farm in Wiltshire. This has been done by completing a business plan for the proposed business along with a considerable amount of market research into the competition and customers to establish the type of market being entered. A detailed SWOT analysis was undertaken which investigated potential obstacles the shop might experience along with the positive variables which the shop would also experience.