Cornwall-based St Ewe Free Range Eggs has been declared the Farmers Weekly’s Poultry Farmer of the Year, the firm having come a long way since packing their first egg in 1982.
From a small, family-run egg producer packing its own eggs, becoming a limited company by 2007, St Ewe Free Range Eggs has grown enormously.
Today they are packing for major supermarkets, local and national retailers, as well as some of the top restaurants in the country.
Promoting best-practice farming methods, food provenance, a dedicated and open approach to business, and high welfare, are just some of the core values of their family focused business principles.
Despite their expansion, which saw them opening their new state-of-the-art packing centre in May 2022, the business has retained the family feel, with an emphasis on “doing the right thing”.
There is a strong emphasis on bold branding as St Ewe seeks to achieve a premium price for their multi-award-winning products.
Their celebrated Rich Yolk brand is now seen in some of the country’s if not the world’s finest restaurants, including Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, Le Gavroche, Cornerstone and No 6. All eggs meet stringent Red Lion Code standards, and more than £70,000 was invested in marketing in 2020, including sponsorship of the Exeter Chiefs rugby team.
It’s not all about making a profit as the company place heavy emphasis on their social responsibilities. During lockdown, they were faced with a loss of 50% of their customers owing to the closure of the hospitality industry. This is when the company launched its “Shell Out to Help Out” campaign, selling eggs at cost price to the local community, and with each tray sold a carton of 6 eggs donated to local food banks.
Ongoing, St Ewe are continuing with their support as the cost-of-living crisis is pushing many into untold hardships. The company has formed a partnership with food distribution charity Fareshare Southwest and are donating any short-dated and surplus eggs to those in need.