Monday, 13 December 2010 12:49

Local couple Chris and Rosemary Knox of Mile Oak drinks businesses Gran Stead’s took a break from creating their artisan beverages recently when a film crew dropped into their rural production unit. The couple, who usually spend their days hard at work preparing, packing and marketing their handmade soft drinks - which include the well-known Gran Stead’s Ginger Wine – had been approached a few days earlier by a researcher from Good Food Channel’s popular television food programme, Market Kitchen.

“It came out of the blue,” explained Chris Knox.  “They were looking for artisan producers in Sussex and rang to find out more about us and our business. We were delighted to help and next thing we knew they had arranged to film. They were here for about two hours and filmed the whole drink-making process. They also interviewed Rosemary and me about the history of Gran Stead’s Ginger Wine, which can be traced back 150 years.”

The programme, which features guest chefs Mark Sergeant and Tony Singh, is expected to be broadcast in March.

Owned by the Knox family, Gran Stead’s has been producing and distributing traditional non alcoholic Ginger Wine across Sussex since 1994 and was awarded the Best Speciality in the South East accolade at the 2009 Great Taste Awards. For many years the wine – prepared from a 150 year old recipe – was bottled in the household kitchen. The range has expanded and now includes a Traditional Still Lemonade and Still Lemonade with a Zing of Ginger.