News and Views

An ear to the ground with thoughts, reflections and updates from our team on food, farming, sustainability and the environment.

Future Countryside Event Review 2026
Healthy Soil, Plenty of Worms. But What Are We Growing?

As any farmer will know, one of the simplest ways to assess the health of a soil is to disturb it. Dig into it. Add some water. Stamp on the ground. If...

Five Bar Gate logo
Why are Farmers Joining Five Bar Gate?

Five Bar Gate is Grounded Research’s farmer research community, bringing together more than 2,000 farmers from across the UK to take part in paid commercial, environmental and policy research. The community was...

Selling the story of UK food and farming

Better Stories, Stronger Connections: Reflections from a Sold-Out Evening in London It was a real privilege to speak at the recent Selling the Story of UK Food and Farming event in London,...

Emma Worrell Grounded Research
Say Hi to Emma

I joined Grounded Research about three months ago as a Research Executive. It’s a bit of a shift in direction for me, but one that feels like a natural fit. What I’ve...

Will Otridge, Director of Grounded Research
Meet Will…our new director

I’ve recently joined Grounded Research after what Clare would probably describe as a 13-year interview process. As her husband, I’ve had a long view of the business, the clients we work with,...

Front cover of the Cargill resilient food systems index
A Nibble Around the Edges… or an Appetite for Change?

I recently spent some time with the new Resilient Food Systems Index from Economist Impact, supported by Cargill. It is thoughtful, well-constructed and asks an important question at exactly the right time:...

Mounjaro Who? The real disruption to food is coming from the robot doing your shopping

The industry is consumed by appetite suppressants. But the far more radical threat to how people buy, cook and eat is already being built and it doesn’t require a prescription, access to...

wagu steak
The Warrendale Wagu Story

Last week I had the opportunity to attend a talk from the team at Warrendale Wagyu and it has stayed with me since. Not because of the product itself, but because of...

Best £650k ever spent… or another black hole?

I don’t disagree with Defra funding up to £650k of training for their internal team… but I don’t wholly agree with it either. If we want better policy, then the people making...