AUSTEN'S AWARD WINNING FARMSHOP

Your local farmshop on the high street

Since opening our doors in July 2015, we have been rushed off our feet and delighted with the support we've received. We wanted to quickly become regarded as a valuable asset to Rochester High Street and we believe we have achieved that. All we’ve ever wanted is for our customers to support and appreciate our philosophies and what we do because we believe in our principles. The biggest benefit of all is that everybody can now have easy access to great tasting local foods.

We are a family run business and we originally opened as a high quality greengrocers and through demand our offerings have rapidly expanded to include an all local line-up of free range meat and chicken, award winning artisan sourdough breads, award winning cheeses, eggs, juices, dairy, artisan tracklements, wholemeal foods and much, much more.

We believe we have earnt our right to be regarded as a reliable and reputable retailer of quality locally farmed and produced fine foods and we are members and advocates of the Produced in Kent organisation. We don't do the traditional fruit and veg markets in London, preferring to deal directly with local farms and producers. We are visiting farms every single week, walking the fields and sampling the produce making sure the standards are right for it to be sold in our shop. We know where all our local foods have come from and, with most of it, which fields it was grown in.

As anyone who has shopped with us will tell you, everyone is made to feel very welcome in our shop and we believe in providing fantastic customer service - going that extra mile for our customers. We thought we would share some of our customers testimonials which we've received since we opened...

We pride ourselves on keeping an immaculately stocked and displayed shop with beautifully fresh foods replenished on a daily basis. A great deal of thought is given to presentation, creating a multi-source farm shop environment with produce displayed in wooden crates and rustic accessories.

Austen's Premium Veg Box Co and Austen's Eatery Supplies were both born as a result of us expanding our business beyond just the high street footfall. We are pleased to be able to take and deliver the great tasting food we sell in our shop out to those who can't always make it into the high street.

We're always looking to start stocking new foods through customer demand and we are currently working on local fish and blended gourmet coffee.

We invite everybody to come and see us and enjoy your shopping experience with us.

'Austen's is just what Rochester needed. The fruit and veg is the best I have ever tasted. Pork and lamb chops that are lovely and tender...What I like most is that everything is sourced locally in Kent and fresh in daily. '

Graham C

'I can't believe what a lovely couple run this shop, we have waited a long time for quality fruit and vegetables. They do so many things all from Kent. Lamb chops to die for and cheeses, so much you have to visit to believe how good. '

Chris C

'Austen's of Rochester is here to showcase how good the foods from local Kent based farms and artisans really are. We want to encourage everybody to talk about and eat local as much as possible and, by doing so, ensure that we all play a part in the sustainability of our local farms and passionate artisan food producers.'

Andy Austen, Founder of Austen's Eat Local Group

If you haven't already

done so, why not come

and see what we're doing.

You'll be in good company,

this is what our customers

are saying...

'Rochester needed this shop more than it realised. The vegetables and fruit are of excellent selection. All the products are fresh and local and the staff is extremely nice and helpful.'

Amelie C

'Fantastic...may I thank you for awakening me to varieties of vegetables I never knew existed.'

Wayne H

'Beautiful, fresh and delicious. Love having a local fruit and veg shop you can truly rely on. As a greens fanatic I've been spoilt this summer with plentiful and gorgeous kale, tasty spinach and greenest flat parsley bunches I've seen in a while! Just stepping in is a treat. Thank you.'

Kate A

'A great local greengrocer that have a great selection along with fresh bread and other seasonal treats. Very friendly and helpful staff.'

Mark P

'Really friendly and knowledgable staff. Very fresh local produce and great chutneys and preserves, plus open later in the week so I can pop in on my way home from the train station!'

'Austen's is just what Rochester needed. The fruit and veg is the best I have ever tasted. Pork and lamb chops that are lovely and tender...What I like most is that everything is sourced locally in Kent and fresh in daily. '

Graham C

'I can't believe what a lovely couple run this shop, we have waited a long time for quality fruit and vegetables. They do so many things all from Kent. Lamb chops to die for and cheeses, so much you have to visit to believe how good. '

Chris C

Andy Austen, Founder of Austen's Eat Local Group

If you haven't already

done so, why not come

and see what we're doing.

You'll be in good company,

this is what our customers

are saying...

'Rochester needed this shop more than it realised. The vegetables and fruit are of excellent selection. All the products are fresh and local and the staff is extremely nice and helpful.'

Amelie C

'Fantastic...may I thank you for awakening me to varieties of vegetables I never knew existed.'

Wayne H

'Beautiful, fresh and delicious. Love having a local fruit and veg shop you can truly rely on. As a greens fanatic I've been spoilt this summer with plentiful and gorgeous kale, tasty spinach and greenest flat parsley bunches I've seen in a while! Just stepping in is a treat. Thank you.'

Kate A

'A great local greengrocer that have a great selection along with fresh bread and other seasonal treats. Very friendly and helpful staff.'

Mark P

'Really friendly and knowledgable staff. Very fresh local produce and great chutneys and preserves, plus open later in the week so I can pop in on my way home from the train station!'

Lindsey B

'Great food.... having fun experimenting with new recipes.'

Christina B

'Absolutely amazing little shop with gorgeous produce.'

Tom B

'Austen's is just what Rochester needed. The fruit and veg is the best I have ever tasted. Pork and lamb chops that are lovely and tender...What I like most is that everything is sourced locally in Kent and fresh in daily. '

Graham C

​

'I can't believe what a lovely couple run this shop, we have waited a long time for quality fruit and vegetables. They do so many things all from Kent. Lamb chops to die for and cheeses, so much you have to visit to believe how good. '

Chris C

Andy Austen, Founder of Austen's Eat Local Group

If you haven't already

done so, why not come

and see what we're doing.

You'll be in good company,

this is what our customers

are saying...

'Rochester needed this shop more than it realised. The vegetables and fruit are of excellent selection. All the products are fresh and local and the staff is extremely nice and helpful.'

Amelie C

​

​

'Fantastic...may I thank you for awakening me to varieties of vegetables I never knew existed.'

Wayne H

​

​

'Beautiful, fresh and delicious. Love having a local fruit and veg shop you can truly rely on. As a greens fanatic I've been spoilt this summer with plentiful and gorgeous kale, tasty spinach and greenest flat parsley bunches I've seen in a while! Just stepping in is a treat. Thank you.'

Kate A

​

​

'A great local greengrocer that have a great selection along with fresh bread and other seasonal treats. Very friendly and helpful staff.'

Mark P

​

​

'Really friendly and knowledgable staff. Very fresh local produce and great chutneys and preserves, plus open later in the week so I can pop in on my way home from the train station!'

Lindsey B

​

​

'Great food.... having fun experimenting with new recipes.'

Christina B

​

'Absolutely amazing little shop with gorgeous produce.'

Tom B