British Beet Research Organisation
Resource platform for beet growers
Providing sugar beet growers and wider industry with resources to grow a healthy, profitable sugar beet
DESIGN | UMBRACO CONTENT MANAGEMENT | BESPOKE DEVELOPMENT | HOSTING
150+
Members
Training
bookable online
Archive
Extensive Library
20 years
PARTNERSHIP
The Challenge
Rade was tasked with delivering a new website featuring modern content management, improved navigation, and enhanced search capabilities. The existing site had evolved in an unstructured way, leading to fragmented content and difficulty finding and managing information.
A major challenge was converting the Recommended List from a static PDF table into a more engaging and interactive format.
Additionally, the old site lacked keyword search, limiting discoverability. The new platform needed a more powerful search function that could effectively index both on-page content and embedded PDFs, making information easier to locate and improving overall user experience.
Our Solution
The project began with a full content restructuring to improve organisation, navigation, and usability. A refreshed visual identity introduced clean typography and a simplified colour palette for a more professional, accessible experience.
Built on Umbraco CMS, the site offers a secure and flexible platform. The homepage features dynamic elements, including seasonal links and regularly updated news. A central Resources hub organises technical and research content by key themes for easy access.
A standout feature is the custom Recommended List tool, enabling users to compare sugar beet varieties through intuitive filtering, transforming complex data into clear, actionable insights.
The Result
Sugar beet growers now benefit from a modern, highly functional digital platform providing timely, relevant information.
The BBRO team can efficiently manage and update content, keeping the site current and responsive to industry needs. Its scalable architecture allows for ongoing development and future enhancements.
The project highlights the value of clear information architecture and user-focused design in making complex technical content accessible online. Structured navigation and advanced search functionality have greatly improved content discoverability, ensuring users can easily access both current and archived materials, enhancing usability, engagement, and overall user experience.
"The Rade team have made a complicated journey easier to navigate"
Francesca Broom | Knowledge Exchange Manager
BBRO
Providing sugar beet growers and wider industry with resources to grow a healthy, profitable sugar beet
Challenge:
Rade was commissioned to deliver a new website that incorporated modern content management capabilities, improved navigation, and enhanced search functionality. Over time, the existing site had grown organically, resulting in fragmented content and a structure that made information difficult to locate and manage.
A key challenge was the transformation of the Recommended List - previously a static, PDF-based table - into an interactive digital tool.
In addition, the absence of a keyword search on the previous site limited content discoverability. The new platform needed to include a robust search function capable of indexing both on-page content and embedded PDF documents.
Solution:
The project began with a comprehensive content restructuring exercise, ensuring information was logically organised and easy to navigate. This was supported by a refined visual identity, combining a clean typography style and a simpler colour palette to create a professional and accessible user experience.
The website was developed using Umbraco CMS, providing a secure, scalable, and flexible foundation. The homepage was designed to be dynamic, featuring quick links to seasonal content and a regularly updated news and insights section, allowing BBRO to keep users informed with minimal effort.
The Resources section was implemented as a central knowledge hub, aggregating technical materials, research outputs, and industry updates. Content is organised by key themes such as crop production, crop protection, and research projects, ensuring users can quickly access relevant information.
A key highlight of the project is the custom-developed Recommended List tool. This data-driven feature enables users to explore and compare sugar beet varieties based on performance metrics such as yield, disease resistance, and bolting risk. Designed with usability in mind, the tool simplifies complex datasets through intuitive filtering and structured presentation, making the information both accessible and actionable.
Outcome:
Sugar beet growers now have access to timely, relevant information through a modern and highly functional digital platform.
The BBRO team can efficiently manage and update content, ensuring the site remains current and responsive to industry needs.
The scalable architecture supports ongoing development, allowing new features and enhancements to be introduced over time.
Key Takeaways:
This project demonstrates the importance of clear information architecture and user-centric design in transforming complex, technical content into an accessible on-line experience. The introduction of structured navigation and advanced search functionality has significantly improved content discoverability, ensuring both current and archived materials are readily available to users.
Profile
The BBRO, a non-profit founded by British Sugar and the NFU, conducts research and shares technical knowledge through publications, events, and social media. Its Executive Board sets strategy and levy, while the Stakeholder Committee guides industry priorities and oversees research and knowledge exchange programs.