The Newborough family has had a presence in North Wales since the 11th Century, and today, Lord Robert Newborough, the 8th Baron Newborough, is committed to an environmentally sustainable way of caring for the Rhug estate land under the new organic system that he put in place over 20 years ago.

A sprightly and energetic figure, Robert Newborough is an organic farming pioneer, sustainability advocate and custodian of this historic Estate which sits in an idyllic part of the country on the River Dee with the spectacular backdrop of the Berwyn Mountains close to Snowdonia National Park. It is an unspoilt landscape of mountains, organic clover-rich pastures, rivers and clear streams, where the air is fresh and the nurtured organic land supports an abundance of wildlife. 

“Our family are very fortunate to be the custodians of such a wondrous part of Wales. We have championed the highest standards of organic and sustainable farming for many years, 

Everything we make is built on our respect for the environment and our heartfelt wish to create something truly exceptional, with the support of our passionate and dedicated team”. – Robert Newborough

In the last 20 years, Rhug has been transformed. When he took over the Estate from his father, it was a low input, low output farm of 2,500 acres with just 9 employees. Today, it is a modern, thriving business spanning two farms across nearly 8,000 acres, employing 120 local people across retail, wholesale, green energy and leisure businesses and the only organic farm in the UK to hold a Royal Warrant. The ethos of always going that extra mile and providing a personal and caring approach to all aspects of the business is second nature to Lord Newborough. He is a true visionary and leads from the front, inspiring those around him with his forward-thinking spirit. 

Brought up on the estate and involved in farming from an early age, Lord Newborough went to Agricultural college to study farm management and quickly set about gaining experience on other farms both in the UK and abroad.  “my father bought me a one-way ticket to Australia, gave me £100 and told me to work my way back. I ended up working on farms in the outback 7 days a week, it was hard work, but invaluable experience, these farms were working with what nature provided: there were no artificial fertilisers or intensive farming methods, it was a lesson in sustainability “ 

When he returned to the UK and eventually took over the estate from his father he seized his opportunity to make a change “I always believed in sustainable organic farming and when I had a chance to do my own thing this is what I followed, it was a quantum leap to what my father was doing but I knew that we could foster more healthy, tender, and tasty meat as a result”. 

Not all the Rhug team were convinced about this new turn of events, but Robert’s infectious passion and dedication soon won them over and many of them are still with him today. Converting a farm over to an organic system is a 2 year process during which time there are no quick fixes. The land is converted to using natural fertiliser or manure and clover is introduced into the grass to build natural fertility in the ground. At the same time, any medication used on the animals is stopped and a new method of farming by prevention rather than cure adopted.  Robert warns: “production will take a dramatic dip before it starts to improve again so this can be a potentially lean period for businesses as you start to build the fertility back in to the farm by natural means”.

Certified organic by the Soil Association since 2000, Rhug is one of the few true ‘field to plate’ operations in the UK. The bespoke ‘Rhug Organic’ brand guarantees total security of provenance and traceability and meat produced on the farm can be found in some of the best five star hotels and Michelin starred restaurants in the UK as well as various schools, cruise ships, private yachts and even the prestigious Cathay Pacific airline. The brand is also to be found in many of the top end retailers in the UK such as Harrods, Waitrose, Partridges Stores and Bayley & Sage. 

In 2006 Lord Newborough started to explore foreign markets for the Rhug produce and shortly after began exporting to Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau, the 7 Star Burj Al Arab in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, he says “top chefs want to work with a top product, you can’t build a Rolls Royce with tin. I continue to be passionate about the organic side, that is why people buy into the Rhug brand. The taste and flavour speak for itself.”

Enjoying a 100% organic diet and leading natural stress-free lives, fed on the land or home-grown organic oats, is what makes Rhug meat unique. There are over a 1,000 head of cattle and calves of the famous Aberdeen Angus breed on the farm, renowned for its quality and flavour. The Rhug PGI Welsh Lamb is regarded as among the best in the UK as they are born, bred and reared on the main farm at Rhug as well as the Salt Marsh lamb which comes from the coastal farm near Caernarfon. 

Much of the Rhug produce have won prestigious awards over the years and the Rhug Organic Dee Valley Turkeys and Geese are in high demand at Christmas time. Robert says “Christmas is the most important meal on the calendar and people don’t want to compromise. We produce 750 Norfolk bronze turkeys a year, which are hugely popular with our regular customers”

The latest addition to the farm is a herd of Japanese Sika deer which join Bison on the Rhug menu and has proved very popular with visitors and customers alike. “The herd is growing rapidly with around 70 Sika and 50 fallow deer and brings additional diversification to the Rhug offering. These are premium meats, and extremely healthy being low in fat and high in vitamins, minerals and omega 3 and are much sought after on our butchers counter in the farm shop”.

In 2011, they capitalized on the regular visitors flocking to Snowdonia and the Welsh coast, by opening a farm shop, bistro and drive through facility on the edge of the estate. These new additions to the Rhug operation have proved very successful at promoting the Rhug brand and introducing new customers to the estate; the farm shop stocks almost 3,000 products from local suppliers, carefully selected by the Rhug team to ensure that they provide the best of Welsh produce whilst meeting the sustainability credentials that the estate is famous for in addition to popular Rhug own label items. 

From Rhug honey, to local craft items and Rhug Duvets (filled with organic Rhug lamb’s wool since you ask) to estate meat at the in-house butcher and a well-stocked deli counter, there is something for everyone. The Rhug website www.rhug.co.uk does a brisk trade in all the products from the shop, which are available for home delivery. The Bison Grill and the On the Hoof cafe, provide dishes that are made with seasonal Rhug produce where possible, whilst the drive through provides tasty and wholesome food and drinks for those on the go. As a result, Rhug is listed as a principal visitor attraction in North Wales with around 350,000 visitors a year and the restaurant has been recommended in the Michelin guide for the last three years. 

Lord Newborough has always maintained a policy to protect and enhance the environment for the next generation. There are 9km of riverside on the estate which are all fenced to protect the water and encourage wildlife habitats. These riverside corridors are part of the Welsh government's Tir Gofal and Glastir agri-environmental schemes to help foster and grow local wildlife and protect the natural environment. 

In accordance with his sustainable mindset, Lord Newborough launched Rhug Energy Ltd in 2014. As a result, the Estate now produces its own energy with hydro, geothermal, solar and wind turbine projects and also support the alternative fuel movement with several PodPoint electric car charging facilities on site. He says: ‘It is very valuable employment in this part of the world. It is nice to see the business evolve and I would like to expand this area and produce more from the farm”.

Life never stands still on the Rhug Estate and the latest chapter in the estate story begins this summer as Lord Newborough launches a skincare range, inspired by the abundance of natural and organic ingredients available on the estate and will be named simply: Wild Beauty.

The range of products will feature 9 products including a day cream, night cream and lip balm, all made with organic, natural and wild foraged ingredients found on the Rhug Estate encased in fully recyclable packaging.

It seems the bounty of the Welsh countryside and the energy of Robert Newborough and his team knows no bounds and we are excited for them!

To find out more, please visit: https://rhug.co.uk