The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has announced a significant new partnership in the food and drink category.

It has licensed Cottage Delight, a leading name in artisan jams, marmalades, curds, chutneys, table sauces and much more, to produce an RHS range of food, alcohol gifting and confectionery. The products in the range will be available in both gift sets and as single items.

For gifting, special occasions or just a lovely family treat there will be delightful gift food sets, beer and cider gifting and hampers.

Single food items will include RHS-branded versions of the Cottage Delight’s famous preserves, chutneys, pickles, sauces and marmalade. Beer, cider and confectionery are also part of this wide-ranging offering.

Arriving at retail in spring 2025, the range will be available at well-known high street and online retailers, and, of course, through the Cottage Delight website.

The packaging designs will take their inspiration from the RHS Lindley Collections, the world’s finest collection of botanical art. The RHS encourages partners to be creative with its design assets and Cottage Delight’s designers will be adapting RHS-supplied artworks to produce a delightful and unique packaging concept.

The range is expected to appeal to lovers of English artisan products, the RHS and – of course – good food.

Cottage Delight was founded in 1974, originally creating handmade butter fudge. Over the years its range grew to include jams, marmalades, curds, chutneys, table sauces and more. Today, the company can still be found at its home in the heart of the Staffordshire Moorlands, where it continues to create its original fudge recipe.

Cottage Delight produces over three million jars of food each year, carefully handmade in a traditional kitchen to the highest food safety standards. The company has won 234 Great Taste Awards, more than any other brand within the industry.

The company sources green packaging and uses only responsibly sourced palm oil in its products. It is committed to reducing waste and packaging and plans to use electricity that is only procured from 100% renewable sources by end 2027.

Sophie Denley-Hunt, Range and Development Manager, Cottage Delight, says: “We are thrilled to embark on this collaboration. The potential for creativity is vast thanks to the large collection of artworks held within the RHS which is inspiring our designs. This partnership means not only will we reach new audiences but we believe the range will resonate deeply with the RHS customer base. We are honoured to be awarded this opportunity and are eager to take this journey together!”

Cathy Snow, RHS Licensing Manager, adds: “With its strong emphasis on artisan production and high-quality food and drink, underlined by numerous awards, not to mention a commitment to sustainable packaging and food preparation methods, Cottage Delight is a very welcome addition to the RHS licensing programme. And of course its products are delicious!” 

About the RHS
Since our formation in 1804, the RHS has grown into the UK’s leading gardening charity, touching the lives of millions of people. Perhaps the secret to our longevity is that we’ve never stood still. In the last decade alone we’ve taken on the largest hands-on project the RHS has ever tackled by opening the new RHS Garden Bridgewater in Salford, Greater Manchester, and invested in the science that underpins all our work by building RHS Hilltop – The Home of Gardening Science.

We have committed to being net positive for nature and people by 2030. We are also committed to being truly inclusive and to reflect all the communities of the UK. Across our five RHS gardens we welcome more than three million visitors each year to enjoy over 34,000 different cultivated plants. Events such as the world famous RHS Chelsea Flower Show, other national shows, our schools and community work, and partnerships such as Britain in Bloom, all spread the shared joy of gardening to wide-reaching audiences.

Throughout it all we’ve held true to our charitable core – to encourage and improve the science, art and practice of horticulture – to share the love of gardening and the positive benefits it brings. For more information visit www.rhs.org.uk

RHS Registered Charity No. 222879/SC038262

About the RHS Licensing programme

Working with the right partners to produce high-quality, beautifully designed products is at the heart of everything we do. We select our partners carefully and offer each one a tailored support package overseen by our experienced Licensing team. Within the RHS Lindley Collections, we hold the world’s finest collection of botanical art containing more than 25,000 superb images. RHS Enterprises Limited uses this artwork collection and RHS gardening expertise to create and endorse inspirational products. In 2017 the RHS won the award for Best Licensed Heritage or Institution Brand at The Brand and Lifestyle Licensing Awards. In 2018, again at The Brand and Lifestyle Licensing Awards, the RHS Flora Apparel collection by COAST won the award for Best Brand Licensed Adult Apparel Product or Range. In 2022 the RHS collection from George@Asda won the Best Brand Licensed Children’s Product or Range.