Wiltshire Farm Foods Journal

May sees Wiltshire Farm Foods celebrating its sixteenth year as the leading supplier of nutritionally balanced, tasty home delivered frozen meals.

But how did Wiltshire Farm Foods come about? We investigate the ingredients for a successful brand.

The company was established in 1991 by Ben Walden, a local Wiltshire farmer who also owned a small factory in Trowbridge, supplying frozen ready meals to Local Authorities. He identified a niche for a private home delivery service of frozen, healthy meals that could be prepared in minutes, taking the hassle out of cooking and making more time for the things you enjoy.

The idea was originally piloted in-house in Trowbridge for 12 months, with a plan to achieve national coverage and deliver outstanding products and service which would position Wiltshire Farm Foods as the country’s leading frozen ready meals delivery service.

After the pilot scheme, Wiltshire Farm Foods was rolled out to the South West. The concept really took off as people embraced the notion that ready meals could be as healthy and delicious as something prepared in the home, and by 1997 there was full UK coverage.

Wiltshire Farm Foods now operates a network of 66 and with over 16 years experience, has earned a reputation for delivering first class service, winning the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise for outstanding innovation in the provision of tasty and nutritious meals.

Ever adaptable, with ranges suitable for many dietary requirements including diabetic, gluten-free, low-fat, moderate salt, milk and egg free, vegetarian, ethnic and soft and pureed to name but a few, with a recently expanded luxury line in the shape of Select.

Look out for our online newsletter for more details of the birthday and how you can help us celebrate, including a super Sweet Sixteen promotion and a very special competition.

Douglas Lamont heads one of our longest-serving outlets, after fifteen years delivering to the picturesque area of Crieff in Perthshire. His tone suggests the years have been kind; his soft, measured Scottish lilt sparkling and peppered with proverbs, with a gentlemanly manner often lacking nowadays.

Starting out in the textiles industry, as business fell into inevitable decline Douglas accepted a redundancy package that allowed him to invest as the ninth member of a small network delivering frozen ready meals for the home, the brainchild of Ben Walden.

Ben Walden was a local Wiltshire farmer, recognising the opportunities provided by a home delivery service you can trust, with meals frozen for convenience, absolute safety and monitored nutritional values.

But the situation fifteen years ago couldn’t be more different from the sophisticated operation you see today, as Douglas explains:

“The original Walden’s format was quite fluid when I took up the reins in Perthshire as the concept was so new. The passion, products and drive was present but not necessarily accompanied by the tools to take us there. You were very much paddling your own canoe and left to make your own mistakes – and it was a steep learning curve let me tell you!

In the beginning the meals were produced in foil instead of the PET trays we use today, with ‘brochures’ made from folded A3 coloured paper with photos of only three meals and three desserts for illustration with a price list.

As one of the original founders of the network, it was up to us to pioneer the brand and values of Wiltshire Farm Foods in our areas, with no marketing support, cold store specifications, TV advertisements, or training manuals.

We built it from scratch and are very proud to witness our achievements fifteen years down the line.”

Mouth-watering meals designed in-house with nutrition in mind, combined with a commitment to providing a personal, reliable service - it’s no wonder Douglas had a £48,000 return in the first year, with a healthy 20% increase upon this figure each year.

But even after such success, Douglas will never forget his initial customers, or indeed his responsibility to his current flock:

“My wife Doreen was a district nurse in the local community and identified the need for such a service, and saw the difference - and critically the independence - we could offer to those no longer able or willing to cook. I was actually considering a sports shop or similar, it’s a good job I listened to her!

In fact, our first customer was a lady from our rural local village. She wanted to visit her terminally ill sister in South Africa, but couldn’t leave her husband to fend for himself, and we were the perfect solution. We even made our first delivery before we were officially open to the lady in question, and she was able to visit her sister without worrying about her husband at home.

“It can be a humbling situation delivering to elderly customers, from respectable backgrounds – we even have some old aristocracy - who have really made a difference over the years and are now blighted by ill health.

One of our customers is a good friend of mine; he built the railways across South Africa. He’s a real-life pioneer and there’s so much we can learn from such individuals, it’s fantastic to have the chance to help them out. That’s why it’s so important to concern ourselves with providing an exemplary customer experience – a good, traditional, respectful service that’s as special as they are.”

With the increasing use of technology such as the television and the internet, Wiltshire Farm Foods is now an instantly recognisable brand, and with the influx of computers more people can shop for themselves and relatives, but Douglas fears losing the personal touch:

“We do face opposition nowadays, but competition is no bad thing. My only concern is the company becoming too large and losing the personal element that means so much to us. The internet can seem impersonal, but we make the effort to know our customers and area - and I’ve lived in mine for 25 years!

The key is good manners, service, and treating customers with the respect they need, without the impatience you sadly often detect with some staff nowadays. Maybe in the future technology will change enough so you can actually see the person you’re talking to and assess their needs, but until then we’ll carry on giving top customer service regardless.”

As the leading supplier of gluten-free ready meals for delivery to the home, Wiltshire Farm Foods are teaming up with Coeliac UK to help raise awareness of coeliac disease.

From the 12th-18th May Coeliac UK are working to raise awareness and understanding of a gluten free diet amongst chefs and caterers, healthcare professionals, hospital ward staff, parliamentarians and the general public to ensure eating out and buying complete meals are freed from restrictions. For further information see www. coeliac.org.uk

For the duration of the “Food Without Fear” Awareness Week, Wiltshire Farm Foods will be donating 50p from every gluten-free meal order placed to Coeliac UK, a registered charity. Coeliac UK is the leading charity working for people with coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis (DH). Their aim is to improve the lives of people living with the condition through support, campaigning, and research to ensure the needs of sufferers are universally met. Coeliac disease is an auto-immune disease, where the body produces antibodies that attack its own tissues. Gluten triggers this condition, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. Some people with coeliac disease also react to oats, but this is believed to be down to contamination from close growing quarters with wheat. It is estimates that 1 in 100 people have the condition, while approximately 500,000 people in the UK are currently undiagnosed.

Symptoms will vary person to person, and may not be limited to stomach problems, but may include:

Bloating or abdominal pain, nausea, wind, constipation or diarrhoea, tiredness, anaemia, headaches, mouth ulcers, recurrent miscarriages, weight loss, in some cases, skin problems, depression, joint and bone pain, and nerve problems

If you suspect you may be gluten intolerant you should visit your GP immediately for a blood test. You can find out more at www. coeliac.org.uk

Wiltshire Farm Foods are passionate about developing delicious meals and suitable solution for a variety of dietary requirements. Our meals are ideal if you’re no great shakes in the kitchen, and are unable or daunted by the prospect of preparing your own gluten free meals from scratch. For the full gluten free range, click here

With sixteen years under its belt Wiltshire Farm Foods has come a long way from its humble beginnings delivering delectable, guaranteed nutritious and fully safety checked meals direct to your door since 1992.

Now that must have been a relief! No endless supermarket queues or heavy bags to carry home, and you know a hot meal is only minutes away – and the best bit is the minimal washing up! Development Chef Shiva Osborne works designing delicious new concepts to tickle your taste buds, sourcing the best ingredients and working to make current dishes even better. This could include flavouring, accompaniments or cleaner ingredients, or recently lowering salt content, experimenting with herbs and seasonings to attain the same taste or perfecting our dishes for those of you with special dietary requirements.

We caught up with Shiva to see what’s happening in the kitchens, take a sneak peek at some sensational summer dishes and get in the party spirit in the run-up to our Sweet Sixteen!

Hi Shiva, you work alongside Phil in the Wiltshire Farm Foods kitchen, is there anything new we should know about?

“We’ve been busy putting the finishing touches to our new range for summer – they’re sensational, a real mix of fresh flavours from home and abroad that should please the palate and soothe the soul – whatever summer holds in store!”

Can you reveal some of the new products to us, a favourite perhaps?

“Ok, but just one! It’s a tough choice, but I think I’d have to say the Monkfish with Peas & Pancetta, it’s a lovely, meaty fish with a subtle flavour and is perfect paired with the spiced Italian pancetta, which is like a thin, streaky bacon. It’s definitely worth a try and a great addition to our fish menu.”

And what about sweet treats....

“Now you’re pushing it!” She laughs, “All I’m saying is that you won’t be disappointed if you’re an ice cream aficionado!”

And what are your thoughts on Wiltshire Farm Foods celebrating its sixteenth birthday? “It’s great to witness the journey we’re on at Wiltshire Farm Foods and how the business has grown, along with the tastes of our customers. Phil has encouraged a strong food philosophy, and this has filtered down through the range, with attention to regional tastes and ingredients, and all-British meat throughout the Select range, so we’ve really got something to celebrate.” And we think so too!