We want to say a huge thank you to everyone that has helped the New Forest Marque grow this year. To our incredible members especially, thank you for supporting, engaging, attending events, sharing stories and championing local produce. You are the heart of the Marque: a thriving community connected by a passion for our special New Forest landscape.

We are delighted to announce that this year we reached our highest ever number of members at almost 200! An amazing milestone when you consider that the Marque started over 20 years ago as handful of local farmers as the ‘Forest Friendly Farming’ collective. It’s a clear and positive sign that interest in high-quality, locally produced food, drink and crafts continues to grow across the region and beyond.

Events

Community has been at the centre of everything we have achieved. In 2025 we hosted and attended over 20 events, including our flagship producer markets at Everton Nurseries, the New Forest Food Festival, Ellingham Show and the New Forest Show. We celebrated local skills and creativity through our Craft Makers Exhibition at the New Forest Heritage Centre, New Forest Marque Inspired exhibitions including Hampshire Open Studios, all this alongside networking socials, training sessions and community days.

We were proud to organise some very special bespoke evenings too, including our sold-out  Flavours of the Forest dining experience at Stanwell House Hotel showcasing local artisan food and drink. Our recent social at the historical Verderer’s Court in partnership with the New Forest Trust, which brought members together and featured captivating talks from local producers and storytellers.

Craft Producers Exhibition 2025

Media and Awards

The quality and flavour of Marque accredited produce continues to shine with many members winning Great Taste Awards and others scooping up a variety of local and regional business awards throughout the year.

We were also delighted to see the Marque featured widely, with two full-page spreads in Park Life, a special double-page feature in Waitrose Weekend magazine, and the distribution of 10,000 copies of our Local Produce Guide across the New Forest, sharing members’ stories and listings.

Across our social media channels, we reached an impressive half a million accounts in 2025, and welcomed many new followers. Several campaigns gained media attention – including our Reuse Your Pumpkin campaign in partnership with the New Forest National Park Authority.

Thank you for being part of the New Forest Marque journey this year. We’re excited for what’s ahead and look forward to continuing to champion local producers in 2026.