We’ve come a long way since the standard three hop varieties on offer and the base in the old hop market in Worcester city centre.  Fuggles, Goldings and later Challenger were only known by the grower’s name and location back then and these variety types were quite similar in characteristics.  Hop picking has become more mechanised and brewery numbers all over the world have increased dramatically.  Tastes and trends have changed, and so too have the hops.  Check out our hop development page to find out the commitment that the industry is making to ensure that we can help brewers to create great beer.

Originally operating from the old hop market building, which can still be seen in Worcester today, we joined other hop merchants to trade with growers and brewers.  Charles Faram then went on to include a traditional hop store in Sansome Street, also still standing, into the business.  Charles Faram is the only business to have survived in Worcestershire and has great relationship with growers not only in Herefordshire and Worcestershire, but all over the world from hop transactions to work being carried out on our hop development programme.

Back in the hay day the hop industry in Britain was huge with 29,000 hectares where as today there are just under 1,000 as beer styles and tastes have changed encouraging more imported hops with different characteristics possible due to the different soils and growing environments.  This is why our hop development programme is more important than ever.

In the 1980’s Charles Faram became grower owned and in 2021 introduced Charles Faram Farms Ltd.