How a derelict Penhallow farm grew into Healeys, 40 years on

When David and Kay Healey took on a derelict farm at Penhallow with no water and no electricity, plenty of people told them they had lost the plot. Four decades later the same patch of Cornwall turns out award-winning cyder, spirits, wine and one of England’s oldest whiskeys, and pulls in visitors from around the world. This year Healeys Cornish Cyder marks 40 years since it moved to the Penhallow site in 1986, and the family who built it are showing no sign of slowing down.

A farm with no water or electricity

The business started in 1980 as Gizzy Wines, a small off licence in Mevagissey, before David and Kay bought their derelict Penhallow farm and moved in six years later. What began as a modest cyder-making venture is now Cornwall’s largest independent cyder maker and the third largest in the UK, producing cyders, spirits, wines, preserves and soft drinks enjoyed across the country and beyond.

Managing Director Joe Healey said the milestone belongs to everyone who has been part of the story. “Forty years is a huge milestone for our family and for everyone who has helped make Healeys what it is today,” he said. “Mum and Dad purchased a derelict farm with no water or electricity. People thought they were nuts, but they saw the potential and carried on anyway.”

Their ambition was a simple one, to make great Cornish cyder from apples grown on the farm. “A lot of hard work, grit and graft has gone into what makes Healeys what it is today,” Joe said. “We’re still proudly family-owned, still making our products here in Cornwall and still passionate about creating the very best experiences for everyone who visits us or enjoys a Healeys drink.”

Rattler, whiskey and a vineyard near Truro

The second generation, brothers Sam and Joe Healey, now lead a business that has rarely stood still. “We’ve never stood still,” Joe said. “Every decade has brought something new, whether that’s launching Rattler, opening our distillery, producing England’s oldest whiskey, welcoming visitors from around the world or expanding into hospitality with venues that include Gylly Beach Cafe, Fives and the Rattler Beach House.”

Healeys made the first commercial Cornish cyder back in 1980. In 2003 it teamed up with St Austell Brewery to help bring English whiskey production back after a century away, creating Hicks & Healey Cornish Whiskey. The farm is now home to England’s oldest whiskey, matured for more than two decades. In 2018 the family planted more than 12,000 vines at Tregoninny Vineyard near Truro, where Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Seyval Blanc grapes are grown for the Tresor range of Cornish wines. Its latest move takes the farm’s award-winning apple juice and turns it into a functional drinks brand called Gym Juice.

Inside the cyder farm

The family farm has grown into one of Cornwall’s leading visitor attractions. Guests can follow the cyder-making process, take guided tours and tastings, ride through the orchards on a vintage tractor, meet the farm animals and look round the historic distillery, barrel cellars and jam kitchen. The Old Bottlery Restaurant serves homemade Cornish food and cream teas, and the Rattler Bar is home to the world’s first Rattler Cyder Wall.

The Austin-Healey connection

The Healey name carries a second story. The family are direct descendants of Donald Healey, the automotive engineer behind the Austin-Healey sports cars, and a collection of classic Healey vehicles is on display at the farm, a nod to a heritage of engineering and craftsmanship that runs alongside the cyder.

‘The greatest achievement is the people’

Founder and Chairman David Healey said the business has always been about more than the products. “When Kay and I started Healeys, we simply wanted to make authentic Cornish cyders and build something our family could be proud of,” he said. “Forty years later, seeing the next generation leading the business while keeping those same family values alive is incredibly rewarding. The greatest achievement isn’t just the business itself, it’s the people. Our family, our fantastic team, our loyal customers and the thousands of visitors who’ve shared the Healeys journey with us over the years. We’re incredibly grateful for their support.”

Today the orchards hold more than 3,000 apple trees, with around 2,000 tonnes of apples processed every year, feeding everything from traditional scrumpy and premium cyders to spirits, wines, juices and preserves. As for what comes next, Joe said the compass has not changed. “Forty years on, the values my parents built Healeys on remain at the heart of everything we do, family, quality and a passion for Cornwall,” he said. “They continue to inspire every bottle we make, every experience we create and every step we take as we look ahead to the future.”