Crisp producer lines up partnership with retailer
A Staffordshire farm’s award-winning crisps will now be stocked by a major retailer in 48 of its stores as Lichfield-based Central England Co-op reaffirmed its commitment to offering customers high quality locally-sourced products.
The retailer has linked up with Just Crisps to sell a selection of its100 per cent British potato crisps in stores within a 50-mile radius of the Hill Ridware farm where the crisps are produced.
The Froggatt family has been farming the land in Staffordshire for four generations, caring for the land through sustainable farming, and have been making their much-celebrated Just Crisps since 2011, winning multiple Great Taste Awards during that time.
Every element of production of the crisps is done on the farm. The potatoes are grown and harvested in the fields – which also includes a 25-acre lake providing a sustainable water source – before being cooked in the farm’s own cold-pressed rapeseed oil, hand-flavoured, bagged and boxed on site.
The farm has also designed and produced their own energy-efficient fryer, built in Tamworth and housed at the farm, to ensure zero food miles are required for the manufacture of a Just Crisp.
Jennifer Hargrave, local buyer at Central England Co-op, said: “We are really proud of continuing our long tradition of working with local suppliers by joining forces with Just Crisps.
“As well as producing their quality, award-winning crisps, they also share a similar ethos to ourselves, with firm commitments to sustainable production, protecting the environment, energy reduction and recycling food waste.
“Just Crisps will add to our fantastic range of locally-sourced products available in our stores, from real ales brewed in Abbots Bromley and cakes from Fatherson Bakery in Alcester, to Leicestershire Eggs, available in all our Leicestershire stores.”
David Wedgwood, commercial director at Just Crisps, said they were ‘delighted’ to partner with Central England Co-op to make their 100% British crisps available to even more local crisp lovers.
He said: “As a local, family farming business we are delighted to have the support of Central England Co-op. We believe our story of provenance being the only 100% British crisp, is highly appealing to Co-op shoppers who are passionate about sustainable farming.”
The retailer is introducing Just Crisps Sea Salt and Sea Salt and Apple Balsamic Vinegar flavour crisps into a selection of its stores within a 50 mile radius of the farm and they will also be available as part of its lunchtime meal deal.
