Peverel Manners, managing director of Midlands-based Belvoir Fruit Farms, is a man on a mission.

Manners, who has been at the helm of the fruit cordial producer since 1997, is aiming to make Belvoir one of the most trusted soft drinks brands in the UK.

“I want to expand the company in the UK and overseas,” he says. “I’m also aiming for greater availability and more listings.”

His ambitions don’t end there. Although eager to keep many of his plans under wraps, Manners reveals that he is currently working on packaging and product development, increasing exports and widening the company’s organic range.

“We have two new products that we are planning to launch in March. We’re also going semi-automatic next year, which is very exciting.”

Belvoir was originally established in 1980 as a pick-your-own operation, but as the
price of fruit started to fall the company needed to find a use for its unpicked and over-ripe crops. They hit on the idea of making cordials free from artificial colours or flavours.

Its range of fruit cordials and pressés are listed in all the major multiples and a range of outlets including Caffè Nero, Fortnum & Mason, Tate Modern and Tate Britain.

Manners originally joined Belvoir in 1992 as its first salesman. Since he became MD, he says the company has grown strongly – an estimated 20% growth every year for the past five years. “It’s a great job and a fascinating position that

Manners plans to make Belvoir a trusted uk brand