The story begins in Hungary in 1981 with a quick glimpse of a little fruit press in a shop window. Our Managing Director, then a fresh-faced graduate seeking a break from motorcycle-messengering in London, had cycled from London to Budapest. This glimpse was enough to entice him to despatch the little press back to London and try his hand at home wine and cider making. Back at home the press became an attraction amongst his friends, who put in requests for their own, and it was from this small beginning that the seed was sown to start a mail order business selling fruit presses.

In true entrepreneurial spirit, he bought a small number of presses, borrowed a car and drove around London offering the presses to enthusiastic Home Brew shop owners, before taking the plunge and ordering a lorry load. The presses were stored under the railway arches in Battersea, London, and advertisements placed in the Saturday newspapers.

In 1987 he and his wife moved down to the very heart of “cider making country” - the West Country - where they continued to encourage those with a fruit garden or orchard to share their passion of making fruit juice and cider. Demand for products rose and, alongside selling presses to home users, they took on employees and began selling equipment for commercial apple juice and cider makers, vineyards and wineries. They also created their own brand of cider, ‘Bollhayes’, which is a regular winner at The Devon Country Show and The Bath & West Show competitions.

Since Vigo began, there has been an increasing public awareness of where food comes from and how it is produced, boosted by movements such as the Organic Movement and, more recently, the Slow Food movement. An unexpected demonstration in 1995 of one of our apple presses on BBC’s Gardeners’ World, by popular organic gardener, Bob Flowerdew, took us completely by surprise and resulted in our selling out of fruit presses and crushers just after the programme was broadcast. Vigo products have continued to receive media coverage since this time and, more recently, were featured on the C5’s reality TV programme, The Farm (excerpts of press articles can be seen at Vigo in the press). You may have been lucky enough to see a pressing demonstration at one of the Apple Day events that take place throughout the country (see our links page for more information about Apple Days) or at the Bath & West Show.

As a result of the growing interest in our products, Vigo has continued to grow, outgrowing its premises more than once. We are fortunate to be rooted in the Blackdown Hills, an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, captured by an artist’s impression (right) of our second premises in Hemyock. Now, with 21 staff, a showroom, warehouse and workshop, we are very nearly outgrowing our current premises at Dunkeswell.

Many of our staff are enthusiastic and experienced juice and cider makers and it is this expertise that makes Vigo what it is today. We designed this website to reflect the accumulated knowledge of our directors and staff alike and we use it today to invite you to share our passion and make the most of your fruit!