Henry Alston of Billockby Farms declared champion potato grower McCain Foods (GB)

Henry Alston, a Norfolk potato farmer has been declared champion grower in the south of England in annual awards staged by McCain Foods (GB).

Henry Alston, of Billockby Farms, near Acle, had to miss the company’s summer barbecue when the awards were announced, sending advisor and agronomist Andy Alexander to the event at Hellidon Lakes Country Club near Daventry instead.

He said: “I jokingly told Andy to bring back any silverware, expecting that would be the last of it.

“Even when another grower texted me on the night to say, ‘congratulations’, I thought it was a joke and replied, ‘Ha ha’.

“It was only when I phoned them and they told me Andy was on the stage with his wife and all these cups for me that I realised I had won.”

Mr Alston, who grows 500 acres of potatoes and has been supplying McCain’s for eight years, first won the accolade of being named one of the company’s ‘Top 10 Growers’ - Andy being presented with a tankard - and was then announced as champion grower for the south of England.

This left Andy holding another two trophies, one to be held for a year and one permanent souvenir.

The award’s criteria are based on supplier performance over the crop year, taking into account contract compliance, quality and service, and supplier best practice in all operations and food safety.

Nick Vermont, CEO of McCain Foods (GB), said: “Billockby Farms have increased their contracted supply to McCain substantially in recent years and this, along with the exemplary supplier service, made them an extremely worthy recipient of the award.”