Sustainable meat retailer Farmison & Co saw its online sales more than double as stay-at-home consumers looked to source ‘better meat’ during lockdown.
New customers – around 49,000 of them – helped the Ripon-based firm achieve strong annual growth, with monthly sales last year regularly topping £1 million. In its latest accounts, it also reported its first annual net profit.
For the nine months to 31 December 2020 (the accounting period was adjusted to match the calendar year), its eCommerce sales grew from £3.4 million to £10 million, while overall revenue topped £12.1 million – compared to £5.4 million in 2019.
To cater for the increased demand for its meat, which is bought direct from British farms specialising in heritage breeds, Farmison tripled its workforce to over 100. Its executive development and Michelin star chef, Jeff Baker, also added 120 new lines to its offering.
It invested £1 million in cold-storage capacity and over £150,000 in logistics and equipment to ensure supply lines stayed open during the pandemic. While also introducing seven-day and next delivery options to provide, what it calls, Amazon-style convenience for its customers.
Notably, it ended the year with a direct customer base of over 100,000. With as many as 40 per cent of its new customers placing a second order – a threefold increase compared to the previous year. Its wholesale customers include Harrods, The Ivy, The National Trust and The Tate Group.
Farmison has ambitious plans for continued growth in 2021 and has set its sights on becoming a £100 million international brand in a category where, it says, consumer choice has largely been limited to an unbranded offer.
Recent developments include the launch of a new website, featuring more content, bookable delivery dates upfront and quick checkout. It also announced the appointment of KPMG to explore its strategic options for new investment.
John Pallagi, CEO and founder of Farmison & Co, said: “Last year’s obstacles caused us to slow down, hibernate and appreciate our families more than ever. Many of us have used that gift of time, to cook at home and seek food that tastes great and is better for our environment.
“I’d like to thank new and old customers alike for their support in 2020 – every one of them is helping sustain responsible farming that’s in balance with the beautiful landscapes of our farmers across Yorkshire, Lancashire and Cumbria.”
“And not only are UK customers rediscovering our unique heritage breeds and their glorious taste, I believe the reputation of sustainably reared British meat across the world has never been higher.
“So that’s why, as we look for new trading arrangements with the world, we should be putting our best farmers at the heart of new trade deals.
“The quality of our meat, our sustainable husbandry, our heritage breeds are legendary across the world – I look forward to helping our policy-makers understand that better.”
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