We are proud to have been a family-owned business for over 80 years. It all began at Hill Farm near Boxford, Suffolk in 1938 with 120 acres of apples, grown by Devora Peake and her first husband Bernard Loshak. They ran the farm successfully during the war, and had two children, Myra and Jonathan. In 1948 Devora married her second husband, Bill Peake and they had three daughters, Susanna, Tamara and Carmella. 

Over the next 20 years or so Bill and Devora expanded the original farm size to around 900 acres.  During the 50s and 60s it was a mixed farm, with livestock and arable crops – but fruit was always the mainstay of the business. Devora and Bill were an amazing team with great ambitions and were pioneering entrepreneurs who diversified to succeed. They always passionately believed in the benefits and quality of their products and overcame many obstacles along the way to pursue their dreams – and this passion and determination has been inherited by the second and third generations of the family.

During the 1950s the Peakes were founder members of the Soil Association, and with the help of Lady Eve Balfour, even set up a school for organic husbandry on their farm for a few years. They were way ahead of their time and grew many organic crops – although following their ideals brought them close to ruin, as organic foods were little known then and the returns were very slim. They also produced their own “Peake’s Organic” brand of apple juice and stoneground flour. During the 60s the Peakes produced up to 100 lines of fresh products, including fruit, homemade cheeses, organic vegetables, poultry and flour, which they used to delivery several times a week to top London department stores and hotels, and to wholesalers and health food shops around the country.