Business Spotlight: Farm to Table

Bill Griffiths beams when he speaks about a certain Best Restaurant award.

This award hales from the other side of the pond, in his homeland of Great Britain.

Earlier this year, Griffiths received international acclaim when the United Kingdom’s The Telegraph named his Springfield establishment, Farmers Gastropub, as Best Restaurant in its Best of British competition.

Other awards, such as Best Pub and Best Accommodation, were named for British establishments across the globe. Most award winners were located in metropolitan areas such as New York City and Xiamen, China.

“It was kind of like the whole of Springfield won a prize,” Griffiths says. “It also brought in people traveling Route 66 and people coming to the U.S. from overseas who’ve got business in Missouri. I actually met one guy who had business in St. Louis, but flew into Springfield just to stop in and eat here.”

While the atmosphere of Farmers Gastropub, located in Wilhoit Plaza at 431 S. Jefferson Ave., is warm and inviting, it’s the food, the unique business model, and perhaps the odd name that draws interest among locals.

Englishman Bill Griffiths, an engineer by training, sold his interest in chemical manufacturer Hylomar Ltd. in the United Kingdom, then was recruited by the British government to serve, most recently, the British Consulate in Chicago as consul, trade and investment officer, and advanced engineering lead.

His wife, Christina Fugitt-Griffiths, is a Springfield native and Drury University graduate. The couple met while they both were working and living in France.

Business brought Bill Griffiths to the United States in 2003, and the couple relocated to Springfield to be closer to family. When he retired in 2009, they decided to pursue restaurant ownership, a 30-year dream of his.

The structure of Farmers Gastropub reflects trends popular in the United Kingdom and the west and east coasts of the United States – local, fresh, organic and sustainable foods.

Currently, Bill Griffiths works with 60 Ozarks vendors to supply his restaurant with beer, liquor, breads, fresh produce, meats and cheese, along with anything his kitchen dreams up for the menu.

Craig Crosby, owner and manager of Artisan’s Oven at 1832 S. Ingram Mill Road, says his bakery has provided Farmers Gastropub with a variety of breads from Italian baguettes to croissants since Griffiths opened in 2009. Orders from Farmers Gastropub equate to roughly $1,500 a month in sales, Crosby says.

“We also get a lot of cross-marketing in our relationship,” he says.

“People often come in and request the breads they’ve had at the Gastropub and vice versa.”

Among the dozens of local producers Griffiths buys from are Terrell Creek Farm in Fordland, Ozark Mountain Orchard in Highlandville and Urban Roots in Springfield, as well as retailers Askinosie Chocolate and MaMa Jean’s Natural Foods.

Farmers Gastropub, which earlier this month marked its third anniversary, also stocks the bar with local beer and spirits from Springfield suppliers Mother’s Brewing Co., Springfield Brewing Co.,   Missouri Spirits House, and Copper Run Distillery in Walnut Shade.

Griffiths employs 26, including a fellow Englishman, General Manager James Latham, and seven chefs. Part of the international slow food movement, the main focus in Griffiths’ restaurant is quality – preserving regional cuisine and ensuring freshness through purchasing from local farms.

As a result, food sales, rather than liquor sales, account for about 68 percent of revenue, which nearly crossed the $1 million mark in 2011, Griffiths says.

“I see that as a clear indication that people in this area are embracing local, fresh food in a way that they haven’t done previously,” Griffiths says, noting sales are on pace to grow 20 percent this year.

Griffiths says buying local is generally 10 percent to 15 percent more expensive than other options. On average, Farmers Gastropub spends $18,000 to $20,000 per month on local food products.

“We base our purchasing on quality rather than price,” Griffiths says.

“We are probably paying as much as four times what some restaurants pay for their hamburger meat. But it’s like night and day in terms of the quality of meat, because none of our meats have been through feedlots.”

Griffiths says he’s built his business philosophy with the greater food economy in mind.

“I believe in that old proverb, ‘a rising tide raises all ships,’” Griffiths says. “Every dollar we spend in the local community helps. I think we make a pretty significant contribution.”