As the Great Yorkshire Show gets underway, the Keeble family behind local food company HECK! is calling on the government to do more to support family-run food and farming businesses.
The family has deep farming roots in Kirklington, North Yorkshire, where Grandfather David Robinson, who is 89, has been working the same land for over 60 years. He still farms the 800 acres around HECK!’s sausage HQ today.
“I’m proud the farm’s still in the family and we’re still producing food here,” says David. “But it’s getting harder. Costs are up, the climate is changing, and small farms need to diversify to survive.”
David’s daughter, Debbie Keeble, used to be a pig farmer before starting HECK! with her husband, Andrew. What began at the kitchen table is now a major local employer producing sausages, burgers and meat-free products sold across the UK.
“We’ve always been a purpose-led business,” says Debbie. “Our local community has supported us from the start, and we try to give back where we can. We’ve learnt a lot from other family businesses nearby too – it’s that network that helps you survive tough times like now.”
Debbie’s son Jamie is another of the company’s co-founders and says growing the business in 2025 means serious investment.
“We’ve had to bring in more advanced equipment to keep up with demand and stay competitive,” says Jamie. “But we also want to make food jobs something young people can get excited about – better training, better tech and a clearer career path.
“Schools and further education colleges have a key role to play here. There needs to be better promotion of food engineering, automation and food science as real career paths – not something people fall into, but that they actively choose. Last year at the Yorkshire Show, we launched a small intern scheme aimed at getting young people excited about the food industry. One of those interns is now a full-time member of our quality control team, and they’re absolutely flying – learning, growing and making a real difference. That’s just one example of what’s possible when you give people a foot in the door.”
The Keebles are sharing their story as part of a wider campaign, backed by the Family Business Foundation, to raise awareness of the role family businesses play in food and farming. The Foundation’s latest research shows that family-run firms make up 85% of the UK’s food and farming sector, but many feel overlooked in policy decisions.
Four generations of the Keeble family – from Grandfather David to Jamie’s young daughter Sienna – will be at the Yorkshire Show this year, sharing their journey and calling for more practical support for businesses like theirs.
“We don’t want handouts,” adds Debbie. “We just want fair support – access to funding, help with training, grants to support initiatives to net zero and recognition for the role local family businesses play in keeping the country fed.”
