With Gore Bay to the east, verdant farmland all around and a busy little community at its heart, the town of Cheviot in North Canterbury is much more than just a road trip pit stop.
Just ask the many MADE NORTH CANTERBURY members who have chosen Cheviot as the base for their food production businesses…
For Kobus Venter of Jack’s Eggs, the location was chosen for him when he took a job managing a local vegetable farm. But the decision to stay was made by Kobus and his family when they embarked on their free range egg business. With expansive pockets of land, an easy drive into Christchurch city for deliveries and a supportive network of local cafes and retailers, the Cheviot area is ideal for both the Venter family and Jack’s Eggs.
Speaking of supportive cafes, Number Eight Café is one of the newer eateries in Cheviot, but is already making a name for itself with delicious, freshly made goodies using locally sourced ingredients. For owner Kirsten, Cheviot was already home, so the opportunity to start a long-dreamt-of business in the place she loves the most was too good to pass up.
From the new to the established; Harris Meats is a Cheviot institution dating back to the 1950s. This iconic family business has been farming and processing their prime cuts of meat here since 1956.
With their farm, processing factory and butcher’s shop all within the immediate area, Harris Meats and the Harris family are synonymous with Cheviot.
Middlehurst is another prominent local farm making the most of the exceptional agricultural conditions in the area. With land spanning from Marlborough through to North Canterbury, the Macdonald family are all involved in the business, and son Henry finishes all of the Merino lambs and hoggets at their Cheviot site.
After processing (by Harris Meats no less!) Middlehurst Delivered ships the quality lamb cuts direct to customers’ doors up and down the country.
On a far smaller scale but with the same level of exceptional care and quality, you’ll find Pihi Farms on the Cheviot coast in the hills above Manuka Bay.
Phil Varley has established his small scale regenerative farm here where the conditions contribute significantly to the production of his quality animal protein and selected produce. Phil describes the location as “a bioregion that allows us to eat almost entirely from local, seasonal produce”. Why would you farm anywhere else?
From extensive family farming operations dating back generations to small new hospitality start-ups and almost everything in between, Cheviot is a thriving hub of passionate food producers contributing significantly to the abundant North Canterbury food and beverage landscape.
Find out more about our Cheviot producers, and explore our whole region on the Business Directory page.
