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Welcome to the Monday edition of the Kent Business Newsletter.

This week’s Kent Business Newsletter is packed with local businesses earning national recognition, sharpening their offer and building for what comes next.

A Rochester manufacturer has secured a prestigious Royal Warrant, an Ashford consultancy has relaunched with a clearer offer for the attractions sector, and one of the country’s best-known voices on food policy is heading to East Malling for a major horticulture conference.

We also have a national award for a particularly creative member of the team at a Maidstone care home, plus news of a long-established Kent veterinary group strengthening its UK-wide connections while remaining proudly independent and employee-owned.

➡️ Got a business launch, win or story to share? Send it to [email protected] and we’ll help spread the word - for free!

If you missed previous editions you can catch-up here.

Fitzpatrick Woolmer has secured one of the UK’s most respected business honours, receiving a Royal Warrant as Manufacturer of Signs and Wayfinding to the Royal Household.

The Rochester company has spent three decades creating signage for heritage sites, visitor attractions and major organisations including the National Trust and RSPB. The award arrives alongside a refreshed brand and website, giving the Medway business a sharper platform for its next chapter. It is a strong local example of craftsmanship, consistency and long-term service earning national recognition.

➡️ See how a Kent manufacturer has paired 30 years of craftsmanship with a major new milestone.

Hawthorn & Kent has launched a new identity, website and broader service offer as it builds on its work with attractions, venues and live entertainment businesses.

The Ashford consultancy now brings together attraction photography, food and beverage ordering, smart lockers and operational consultancy in one place. Its founders say the relaunch reflects a focus on helping clients create better guest experiences while finding practical ways to improve efficiency and revenue. For a Kent-based business working in a global-facing sector, the move signals a clear ambition to make its expertise easier to access and understand.

➡️ Explore how this Ashford team is combining technology, operations and visitor experience.

Henry Dimbleby, co-founder of Leon Restaurants and author of the National Food Strategy, will headline a major November conference at East Malling Research Station.

The event will bring growers, food scientists, retailers, policymakers and health experts together to examine how edible horticulture can support healthier diets. With sessions on nutrition, plant science, investment and domestically grown produce, it puts Kent’s research and growing expertise at the heart of a national debate. It is also designed to give early-career professionals an opportunity to meet sector specialists and share their own work.

➡️ Meet the speakers and see why East Malling will be a key meeting point for the food sector this autumn.

Brian Thornton, Maintenance Manager at Care UK’s Invicta Court in Weavering, has won the “awesome ancillary worker” category at the 2026 Stars of Social Care Awards. The national recognition reflects more than day-to-day maintenance.

Brian is known for turning residents’ memories into thoughtful experiences, including recreating a ship’s cabin for a 90th birthday celebration. Working with his wife Amy, the home’s Lifestyle Lead, he has built a reputation for ideas that create joy and connection. It is a warm local story about the people whose imagination and commitment make a meaningful difference to residents’ lives.

➡️ Read the story behind the national award and the personal experiences that inspired it.

Pennard Vets has joined XLVets as the network’s 71st member, connecting its independent, employee-owned Kent practice group with veterinary businesses across the UK. Founded in Sevenoaks in 1890, Pennard now operates eight sites in the county and employs a 160-strong team.

The membership will give its clinicians and teams more opportunities to share knowledge, clinical insight and practical experience with like-minded practices. For a business rooted in local ownership and clinician-led decision-making, the move offers a way to remain independent while drawing on a wider community focused on high standards of care.

➡️ Discover why this long-established Kent veterinary group sees collaboration as the next step in its story.

A new Decanter feature places several Kent-linked producers at the top end of the English sparkling wine market, including Chapel Down, Gusbourne and Squerryes Estate. With prestige cuvées selling at more than £100 and in some cases over £200 a bottle, the article highlights the growing value and international positioning of Kent's wine sector rather than simply growth in production volume. Read more.

Rochester Airport is hosting its first family fun day and air display in 20 years, with aerial displays, static aircraft, experience flights, food vendors, live music and community activity. The event gives Medway a visitor economy boost and supports the airport’s longer-term ambition to expand aviation training, including potential commercial pilot licence provision. Read more.

Canterbury Brewers & Distillers, owner of The Foundry Brew Pub, has acquired Anno Distillers after the Kent gin brand fell into liquidation in 2025. The new owner says production will remain in Kent, with plans to invest, expand production in Canterbury and develop new visitor experiences, making this a strong local acquisition and growth story. Read more.

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