As part of its plan to expand through franchising, Riverford Organic is holding a discovery day on Saturday February 12 at its main farm, Wash, in Devon.

This discovery day is open to anyone who is seriously considering owning and operating a Riverford Organic franchise. Laura Cottee, Territory Services Manager at Riverford Organic, said: "We expect people to visit us from all over the country. We're a large and well established franchise with around 70 franchise owners delivering more than 50,000 organic food boxes each week. In a network of this size, there is natural shedding. We therefore have some resale opportunities for individuals or couples who want to move into an established territory with a proven track record."

According to Riverford Organic, it currently has a number of franchise owners making more than 500 deliveries per week, some of which have a turnover of over £1 million a year. Cottee added: "Many of our new franchise owners were able to hit the ground running because they saw the potential in buying a business with an established customer base. Having said that many started from scratch with virgin territories, of which we have several available. The entry price for a virgin territory is just £9,000, which includes training, and represents exceptional value for money within the franchising industry.

"The Wash Farm Discovery Day is, I think, the best opportunity for potential franchise owners to come and meet the Riverford team, and find out what the company is all about. They'll get to visit the farm, and see where the food is grown and packed, and they can ask questions about the various business models to find out which one is most suited to their lifestyle demands."