Mark Gorton has been named the 2026 winner of the Timothy Colman Prize, the top annual award made by the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association (RNAA).

He is founder and managing director of Traditional Norfolk Poultry (TNP), based in Shropham near Attleborough - the UK’s leading producer of free-range and organic chickens and turkeys.

The firm, which began with just 12 Christmas turkeys, now operates across East Anglia and supplies millions of birds per year to high street retailers as well as some of the UK’s most prestigious restaurants.

The company has grown with a pioneering spirit - most recently evident through hosting a "momentous" first UK trial of a vaccine aiming to halt the annual devastation of bird flu outbreaks.

Norfolk Black chickens, a breed developed by Traditional Norfolk Poultry (Image: Newsquest)

TNP has even developed its own breed, the Norfolk Black chicken - which was served at Windsor Castle in September during a glittering state banquet for King Charles and US president Donald Trump.

Mark Gorton said it was “such an honour” to receive the award, adding: “It is going back to the........

© Eastern Daily Press