About Us
Our Story
Berryplants Ltd was founded in 1995 by Tony Bentley and David Hopkins, both highly experienced in the strawberry propagation industry, having previously worked for W H Cragg and Commercial Fruit Plants.
The company remains based close to its original home farm in Newchurch on Romney Marsh, where Bill Cragg began growing fruit and propagating strawberry plants more than 60 years ago. Our office and cold stores are still surrounded by the very fields Bill Cragg once farmed.
Mr Cragg's Pick Your Own Strawberry Field, 1968
While Romney Marsh remains home to our substrate production, we no longer grow field raised plants here due to the heavy soil types found locally. As the soft fruit industry has developed into its modern, high tech form, we have adapted by moving our plant propagation to regions around the world, drawing on the best available infrastructure for each plant format we supply.
The Berryplants team is committed to supplying quality plants alongside a high level of service. Our links to globally significant breeding programmes give us early access to varieties with improved characteristics for our growers and their retail clients.
Celebrating 30 Years
Today, Berryplants supplies professional commercial growers across Europe with strawberry and raspberry planting stock. As master licence holders for Plant Sciences and Bayer Crop Science varieties, we provide a trusted pipeline of new genetics backed by three decades of propagation experience.
Our Team
Tony Bentley
Managing Director
Highly experienced in commercial soft fruit breeding, propagation, and research and development
Phil Armstrong
General Manager
Oversees daily operations across the business
Sandi Starling
Office Manager
Handles administration, invoicing, and day to day office operations
In Memory of David Hopkins
David Hopkins co-founded Berryplants Ltd in 1995. His vision and dedication laid the foundations for everything the company has built over the past 30 years, and his legacy continues to be felt throughout the business today.