Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones: Founder of The Black Farmer
From a Birmingham allotment to building a recognised British food and farming brand
Last Updated on July 30, 2026 by Business Blog Media Editorial Team
Introduction
Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones MBE is a British farmer, entrepreneur, author and former television producer. He is best known as the founder of The Black Farmer, a British food and farm-shop brand.
Born in Jamaica and raised in inner-city Birmingham, he developed an interest in farming while helping on his father’s allotment. He later worked as a chef, joined the BBC and built a career in television before entering marketing and agriculture.
As of July 2026, Emmanuel-Jones remains active in business. He continues to represent The Black Farmer, support its London farm shops and speak publicly about farming, entrepreneurship and business diversity.
Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones Quick Facts
| Fact | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones |
| Professional title | Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones MBE |
| Best known as | The Black Farmer |
| Born | 1957 |
| Birthplace | Frankfield, Clarendon, Jamaica |
| Raised in | Birmingham, England |
| Profession | Farmer, entrepreneur, author and former television producer |
| Famous for | Founding The Black Farmer |
| Honour | MBE for services to British farming |
| Current work | Developing The Black Farmer food and retail business |
Who Is Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones?
Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones is one of Britain’s recognised food and farming entrepreneurs.
He created The Black Farmer as more than a product name. The brand represents British farming, quality food, cultural difference and opportunities for people who may not come from traditional agricultural backgrounds.
His career is unusual because he worked in several industries before becoming a farmer. He began in food service, moved into television production, created a marketing company and then used his experience to build a national food brand.
Early Life in Jamaica and Birmingham
Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones was born in Frankfield, a community in Clarendon, Jamaica.
He moved to Britain when he was about four years old and grew up in inner-city Birmingham. His family had limited money, and his father used an allotment to grow food.
The young Wilfred helped his father care for the land. The space gave him a strong connection with nature and planted the idea that he might own a farm one day.
He attended a secondary modern school and left without formal qualifications. However, leaving school did not stop him from building a career.
He entered catering, trained as a chef and looked for opportunities that could take him into a different type of work.
From Catering to the BBC
Emmanuel-Jones eventually secured an opportunity in television.
He worked for the BBC as a producer and director, mainly on food-related programmes. This role allowed him to combine his knowledge of food with his growing understanding of communication, branding and public audiences.
His years in television also taught him how stories can shape the way people view products and personalities.
These skills became important when he later entered the business world.
Rather than remaining in broadcasting for his entire career, he decided to use his experience to help food and drink companies build stronger brands.
Building a Food Marketing Business
In 1994, Emmanuel-Jones founded a food and drink marketing agency in London.
The company worked on campaigns for established and growing consumer brands. Through this work, he learned how smaller companies could compete against larger businesses by having a clear message and memorable identity.
He became especially interested in challenger brands. These are companies that enter competitive industries and succeed by presenting something different from their established rivals.
This marketing experience later helped him turn a personal nickname into a recognised British brand.
Buying His Own Farm
The childhood dream that began on his father’s allotment remained important to Emmanuel-Jones.
After building careers in television and marketing, he bought a farm in Devon. He was around 40 years old when he achieved this goal.
Local people began calling him “The Black Farmer.” Instead of rejecting the name, he adopted it and used it as the identity of his food company.
The name was direct, memorable and different from traditional farming brands. It also helped him begin wider conversations about who can work in British agriculture.
How The Black Farmer Brand Began
The Black Farmer became widely recognised through premium sausages and other British food products.
Emmanuel-Jones used his marketing experience to create packaging that stood out in supermarkets. The brand combined traditional British farming with his personal background and a strong visual identity.
Over time, The Black Farmer expanded beyond sausages. Its product selection has included meat, baked products, sauces, gifts and other food and lifestyle items.
The company also developed an online shopping service and physical retail locations.
His journey shows how a founder can use personal experience to build a clear business identity. Readers interested in food entrepreneurship can also explore how Will Shu built a global food-delivery company.
The Black Farmer Farm Shops
The Black Farmer later moved into physical retail by opening farm shops in London.
Its Brixton location brought the idea of a traditional farm shop into an urban community. The store was designed to connect city customers with British farming while also giving smaller food companies a place to present their products.
A second location opened at Television Centre in White City. This site has special meaning because Emmanuel-Jones spent part of his earlier career working in television.
As of July 2026, the official Black Farmer website continues to list the Brixton and White City locations.
Emmanuel-Jones has also continued to write about the daily challenges of operating the shops.
The stores reflect his aim of building a premium brand that remains open and welcoming to people from different communities.
Supporting Independent Founders
Emmanuel-Jones has also worked to support entrepreneurs who may struggle to enter the food and retail industries.
He established The Hatchery, an initiative designed to provide growing brands with mentoring, visibility and business opportunities.
The programme particularly focuses on founders from backgrounds that have traditionally received less support.
This work connects with his wider belief that business talent can come from any community.
A similar interest in supporting independent food makers can be seen in the story of Simon Beckerman and his business journey.
Work to Improve Diversity in Farming
British farming has traditionally been difficult to enter without family land, funding or existing industry connections.
Emmanuel-Jones has spoken publicly about these barriers. He has encouraged agricultural organisations to create more opportunities for people from urban and non-traditional backgrounds.
He previously created a farming scholarship initiative that gave young people experience of working in rural communities.
The project was also featured in a Channel 4 television programme.
His work is not only about representation. It focuses on practical access to training, employment, land and business knowledge.
MBE and Public Recognition
Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 2020 New Year Honours.
He received the MBE for services to British farming.
In February 2022, he was appointed an Independent Governor of the Royal Agricultural University.
His official Royal Agricultural University profile describes his experience in farming, media, marketing and entrepreneurship.
His university role allows him to contribute to discussions about agricultural education, innovation and opportunities for future farmers.
Books by Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones
Emmanuel-Jones has written books about both food and entrepreneurship.
The Black Farmer Cookbook
The Black Farmer Cookbook presents recipes connected with his food knowledge, personal journey and interest in British ingredients.
Jeopardy
Jeopardy: The Danger of Playing It Safe on the Path to Success focuses on risk and decision-making.
The book explains his belief that fear can prevent people from acting on valuable ideas.
It uses lessons from his own career, including his moves from catering to television, marketing and farming.
Political Career
Emmanuel-Jones also entered British politics for a short period.
He stood as the Conservative Party candidate for Chippenham in the 2010 UK general election.
He received 21,500 votes and finished second to Liberal Democrat candidate Duncan Hames.
He did not become a Member of Parliament and later remained better known for his farming and business activities.
Current Work in 2026
As of July 2026, Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones continues to be publicly active as the founder of The Black Farmer.
His current work includes promoting the brand, supporting its London shops, discussing entrepreneurship and examining how new technology may help smaller businesses.
His official blog continued to publish new posts during 2026. These articles discussed retail pressures, leadership, artificial intelligence and the realities of operating a growing company.
This activity shows that he has not retired from business.
He remains involved in shaping the future direction of The Black Farmer.
What Entrepreneurs Can Learn from His Career
Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones followed no simple or direct career path.
He moved through catering, broadcasting, marketing, farming, manufacturing and retail. Each stage gave him skills that supported his next business decision.
A Different Background Can Become a Strength
He did not come from a traditional British farming family.
Instead of hiding that difference, he made it a central part of his brand identity.
Branding Must Be Easy to Remember
The Black Farmer is a simple and distinctive name.
Customers can quickly understand who created the brand and what it represents.
Experience from One Industry Can Help in Another
His television career taught him communication.
His marketing work taught him branding.
He later used both skills to sell food products and develop a retail business.
Businesses Must Continue to Change
The Black Farmer began with packaged food and later expanded into online shopping, physical retail and support for smaller founders.
Success Can Take Time
Emmanuel-Jones did not buy his farm immediately after leaving school.
He worked for many years before achieving his childhood goal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones?
Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones MBE is a British farmer, entrepreneur, author and former BBC producer. He is the founder of The Black Farmer food and retail brand.
What is Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones famous for?
He is famous for creating The Black Farmer, a British brand known for food products, farming and urban farm shops.
Is Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones a real farmer?
Yes. He bought a farm in Devon after building careers in television and food marketing.
His childhood ambition to own farmland began while helping on his father’s allotment.
Where was Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones born?
He was born in Frankfield, Clarendon, Jamaica.
He moved to Britain as a young child and was raised in Birmingham.
Why is he called The Black Farmer?
People living near his farm used the nickname.
He accepted it and turned it into the name of his food business.
Did Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones work for the BBC?
Yes. He worked as a producer and director, particularly on television programmes connected with food and cooking.
Did Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones receive an MBE?
Yes. He received an MBE in the 2020 New Year Honours for services to British farming.
What is Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones doing now?
As of July 2026, he remains active with The Black Farmer, its Brixton and White City farm shops and his public work involving business and agriculture.
Who owns The Black Farmer brand?
The Black Farmer was founded by Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones. He remains publicly connected with the brand and its business operations.
Where are The Black Farmer shops?
The Black Farmer has operated farm shops in Brixton and White City, London.
Conclusion
Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones is best known as the entrepreneur who created The Black Farmer.
His journey began on a small family allotment and passed through catering, BBC television and food marketing before he finally bought a farm.
He used his different background as the foundation of a strong business identity.
The Black Farmer later grew from a food range into an online retailer, urban farm-shop business and platform for emerging founders.
As of July 2026, he remains active in the company and continues to speak about farming, entrepreneurship, opportunity and the importance of building businesses that are willing to be different.
