Meats so sweet for all
THE sales say it all for online premium butcher Farmison, whose drive for better quality, top tasting meat, heritage breed preservation and support for sustainable British farming is cutting it with customers.
Repeat orders and revenues have increased four fold compared to pre-Covid levels for the business, which has just struck new partnerships with Harrods, has a guaranteed supply of turkeys for Christmas and forecasts a £30million plus turnover in 2024.
Based in Ripon, North Yorkshire, where it employs a team of 100, Farmison buys direct and has more than 30 farms and 125 producers in its exclusive supply chain.
“Farmison’s meat is always free range, from naturally fed livestock and matured slowly for the fullest flavour – an artisanal journey from fields to cooks’ kitchens that’s real value for money,” says founder and chief executive John Pallagi, who founded the business 11 years ago.
At first his vision was repeatedly shot down as he was told “the animals are too small to be profitable” and “the public don’t care about free range”.
However he stuck to his convictions and is now at the forefront of moves to bring back British rare breeds.
“The UK has unique bloodlines bred to perfection in the 18th and 19th centuries to yield juicier textures and contribute to the land,” declares Pallagi, whose best sellers are varieties of mince and spicy lamb sausage.
“Encouraging eating of local and seasonal food, for instance in autumn mutton and Scottish and Yorkshire venison, is our mission,” he explains.
“Today’s customer cares about what they eat and we offer a huge choice of cuts for scratch cooks, dinner party purchasers and pro kitchens. The pandemic accelerated a trend that was already there.
“The fundamentals are in our favour – from online sales to the importance of sustainability and eating less but better meat.
“We buy direct. This creates control, knowledge and trust. We manage the process from farmer relations, product selection, maturation, craft butchery, courier service to customers’ doors and kitchen inspiration with our chef Jeff Baker’s recipe cards.
“As we grow we can help reset the relationship our farmers have with those that buy from them. This gives them a greater share of the investment they make in their herds.” Farmison’s e-commerce model, backed by a bespoke IT stock management system, enables next day delivery and minimal waste.
Investors include consumer specialist Inverleith and Planet Organic backers. A move to a 60,000 sqft plant before Covid allowed Farmison to scale during lockdown, and in the next two years Pallagi will look to raise a further £5m to £7.5m.
“We’ve just scratched the surface,” he says. “We aim to be a £100m sustainable brand.”