MEMBERNEWS


Iconic food brand looks to spread a bit of cheer


A historic food manufacturer is seeking partners to help deliver food parcels to isolated or vulnerable households during the ongoing coronavirus lockdown. Original Recipes Ltd, which


makes the original Granny Mary’s Potted Beef and other products from its Chesterfield manufacturing facility, is trying to establish a way of creating and distributing packages of high- quality food to people who are stuck at home. The fourth-generation family


business has a long history, stretching back to 1920, when current owner William Sutherland’s great grandfather, Eddie, started selling his wife’s homemade potted beef from the back of a wagon while he was doing delivery rounds for Lyon’s Teas, in Sheffield. It proved so popular that in 1927, Eddie set up a business to produce


‘Our potted beef, with is made to Granny Mary’s original recipe, is a highly nutritious premium product’


and distribute potted meats across the UK. Sutherland’s Spreads fed the Troops in World War Two and by 1963 it was producing more than a million jars a week. The business and the brand


name were sold to European food manufacturing giant Greencore Plc in 2001. But in 2012, Mr Sutherland decided to recreate the iconic product using Granny Mary’s original recipe, which is once again


available in stores across the region. Mr Sutherland says his business


has been hit by the slowdown created by the Covid-19 pandemic, but rather than shut his doors and furlough staff, he has kept production going. He is currently working with local


supermarkets, independent retailers and a pub to distribute his products


Scheme aims to feed communities


A new not-for-profit initiative, which aims to enable restaurants to cook and distribute free meals to the most vulnerable and isolated people in the community, is looking for business support. Open Kitchens UK has been set


up to help connect restaurants and foodservice providers that have been hit by the coronavirus crisis with their communities. It means they can continue to trade by producing meals, at cost, and distributing them for free to the people that need them the most. Each meal costs £1.85 to produce


and is paid for by crowdfunding. A pilot project launched in April


saw 12 restaurants in Nottingham produce and distribute more than 10,000 meals in its first week and will continue to do the same for the next three months. On the back of the successful


pilot, its founders aim to get 10,000 restaurants across the UK reopened and crowdfunded via their communities to make and distribute meals. Adam Roberts, founder of Open


Kitchens UK, said: “There are millions of people in high-risk or vulnerable situations that don’t have access to nutritious and


8 business networkMay 2020


delicious meals because of the current lockdown restrictions. “There are also thousands of


restaurants and commercial kitchens across the UK which have had to close their doors. “Our platform provides a simple


solution to both problems, by helping caterers to reopen their doors and do something good for


their community by helping to feed those people who are most in need.” The team behind Open Kitchens


is currently in discussion with restaurants across the UK, along with sports venues, hotel groups and other commercial catering businesses. It is currently on the lookout for corporate sponsors to support the scheme financially.


Nottingham’s Trent Navigation Inn is one of the restaurants supporting the initiative (image courtesy of Marcus Holdsworth Photography)


Adam added: “It would be amazing to get a couple of big companies on board. “This would provide the funding


needed to get more restaurants up and running.”


Anyone interested in supporting the scheme should contact adam@openkitchens.co.uk


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