A POPULAR Colchester-based crisps producer has secured nearly £10,000 to grow its business.

Fairfields Farm, which produces fancy hand-cooked snacks, has been given a grant from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) to upgrade equipment on the farm in Wormingford.

The company has invested in a new state-of-the-art frying and product handling system as part of a larger vision to make Fairfields Farm one of the leading snack producers in Britain, fueled by renewable energy generated on the farm.

Robert Strathern, who runs the farm with his wife Laura, said: “This £99,978 grant has enabled us to make the changes and upgrades required to meet the demand from our customers.

“We're currently investing heavily in our production and this grant, along with our grade A BRC global standards inspection, will make a huge difference to the business going forward."