Bottling a taste of Cambridgeshire

The first bottles of Cambridgeshire apple juice are now coming off a new processing line which has been part-funded by Defra's Rural Development Service (RDS).

Watergull Orchards received a Processing and Marketing Grant from the RDS towards a new juicing plant in Willingham. The plant is now fully operational and the first autumn apples are being turned into juice.

The company, which is run by David and Dawn Fisher, will be bottling juice made from Cambridgeshire apples, including those grown in the Fishers' orchard in Sutton-in-the-Isle, near Ely.

David said:

"The new plant will automate the pasteurisation, bottling and labelling process, which I had previously done by hand. I couldn't have kept up with demand without the new plant. Now we can expand into new markets and help to keep local orchards viable."

David said Watergull Orchards specialised in single variety juices, with Discovery being the first apples of the new season to be juiced at the Station Road plant.

"As different species ripen, we will be moving on to juice Grenadiers, Worcesters and Coxes. We also produce one Bramley and Cox blend which is very popular."

The juices will be available in bottles across the county, with a tasting session being held at Audley End House, near Saffron Walden, on Sunday 25 September as part of its Apple Day. Watergull also produces larger volume packs of juice for caterers.

Ian Trouse, an adviser with the Rural Development Service in the East of England, said:

"Apple orchards are a traditional feature of the Cambridgeshire countryside, but they are in decline. Watergull is creating a demand for lower-grade juicing fruit, which will provide an income for fruit growers. This in turn will help maintain an important local landscape feature."