In the year 2000, entrepreneur Sandy Higson began experimenting with making a few jams in her own kitchen. Living in Rothbury, in the heart of the Coquet Valley, Sandy decided to call her new company Coquet Valley Preserves. Customer demand for her jams, and requests for different flavours, soon changed her part-time hobby into a full-time business, where Coquet Valley Preserves currently produce over 80 flavours of jams, chutneys, relishes, marmalades and pickles providing an array of flavours to suit every occasion and palate.

Such varieties as Hellish Relish, Cheviot Choker and The Rothbury Rager are among Sandy's famous creations. One of her newest additions is her tasty Newcastle Brown Ale Marmalade and Sandy was given official permission by brewery giant Scottish and Newcastle to use their world-famous blue star logo on the Coquet Valley Preserves jars.

In the last 5 years Coquet Valley Preserves have won many prizes at Shows and various awards from the Guild of Fine Foods.