A Visit To The South Devon Chilli Farm

Last week I booked a tour around South Devon Chilli Farm with co-owner, Jenny. I learnt so much and have a new appreciation for the scale and variety of peppers growing practically on my front door step! For instance - the purple chillies pictured further down are unripe. They will eventually change colour to a greenish white, then move through the typical yellow, orange and red colour we'd usually associate with them.

The South Devon Chilli Farm

Owned by Jenny and Amrit, the 10-acre farm sits in the hills of the Avon valley. The shop, nursery and show-tunnel are all open to the public.

As you enter through the shop, you’re greeted by rows and rows of award-winning small batch condiments, jams, salsas, sauces, and chocolates. All made by hand with SDCF’s own-grown chillies, using only natural preservatives. They also have an orchard, to the right of the shop, where they grow some non-spicy ingredients that also go into their products. On the other side of the shop are fresh and dried chillies, plus some plants and a huge variety of seeds. You can grow your favourite varieties at home, from their own plants!

It’s not just about spice, although obviously you can find it by the tonne here. It’s about flavour, too. I’ve never been a fan of that blind heat that makes you dribble and cry, but I do enjoy the flavour of chillies. The way they add warmth and fruity sweetness to a recipe.

Since taking over in 2022, Jenny and Amrit have cultivated a collection that celebrates the full flavour profile of the fruit. From heatless, full-bodied flavour right through to scratch-your-eyes-out hot (Carolina Reaper, I'm looking at you...)

Sustainable Farming in Devon

If you hadn’t already figured, I care about sustainable farming and I think the UK has a great deal to offer agriculturally. This chilli farm is the perfect example of both.

Their seed-to-sauce values inform the way they grow, harvest and make products – which all happens on-site! From growing their own pesticide-free ingredients to using 100% renewable energy, the team care deeply about the plants and the land they grow in.

Products Using Devon Chillies

Did you think there was any way I’d be able to resist snapping up some delectable treats? As soon as I started tasting the products, my imagination ran wild and I could very easily have grabbed one of everything! Sadly, I have to have some self-control, so I picked:

Manzanilla Tropical Jam: A fruity, spicy jam that beautifully encapsulates Amrit’s Trinidadian heritage and combines it with Jenny’s Devonian ties. It features other tropical flavours like lemongrass, ginger, and pineapple.

Original Chilli Chocolate: a 60% dark Belgian chocolate with a special blend of homegrown spice.

Fresh Santa Fe Grande Chillies: Relatively low in heat, these are said to have a melon flavour to them. All I know is, I can’t wait to stuff them with cheese and devour them!

Dried Kashmiri Chillies: Vibrant red without the volcanic heat, these are designed to be rehydrated and incorporated in pastes and purees for a mildly spicy depth of flavour.

Shop the full collection of tongue-tingling products online.

Where Is The Chilli Farm In Devon?

The Devon Chilli Farm is located in Loddiswell, not far from Kingsbride. You will have to navigate some winding roads to get there (as with many places in the South West!) but it’s well worth the trip and has ample customer parking.