We’re proud to work closely with some of the top local, regional and national farmers to give you the best flavours and finest produce available. Throughout our 227-year history, we’ve taken time and care to build strong relationships with each our suppliers.
Trust, full traceability and world class sustainability are just a few of the steps we take every day to ensure you get the finest quality produce, since 1793.
Our Farmers
Great meat comes from farmers that produce great livestock. We are lucky in the UK where farming has remained strong for hundreds of years. The British climate and the landscape are perfect for producing amazing quality meat.
Beef
Hollands Farm
We work closely with Hollands Farm in Great Milton, Oxfordshire to bring you the very best in local, sustainably produced and grass-fed beef, delivered direct to your door.
Poultry
Castlemead Farm
Castlemead produce free range poultry and game from the West Country with impeccable traceability and provenance that tastes great.
Lamb
Blenheim Estate Farm
Aldens are the exclusive supplier of Oxfordshire lamb from the Blenheim Palace Estate, a World Heritage Site set in over 2000 acres of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and UNESCO World Heritage Site. The lamb is fed exclusively on traditional and herbal grass leys, Blenheim Estate lamb is a truly special local product.
Venison
Church Farm
Church Farm started as a new enterprise in 2017 with the aim to produce the highest quality venison on the market by caring for our animals and ensuring the highest levels of welfare from field to fork. We have worked hard to improve our herd of Red Deer through selective breeding and careful husbandry. We have established a quality herd of animals and produce prime venison from animals reared naturally on our land in South Oxfordshire.
Venison is much more popular now because not only is it high in iron and protein, but it is also low in cholesterol and fat. So not only is it delicious, it is very healthy too and versatile enough for both the summer barbecue and the winter roast or casserole.
We have an exciting vision at Church Farm to expand our Deer herds and to work with local communities and schools to educate and increase local engagement. On top of this, we are working with a number of schemes to increase our biodiversity at Church Farm which provide for an even better environment for our Deer.
Traceability
We’re committed to sourcing the highest quality produce that is fully traceable from farm to fork. Every product is fully coded, so we can trace the product back to the farm giving you the assurance everything is traceable.
Dry-Ageing
Dry ageing is process normally given to beef where it is hung or placed on a rack to dry. The process changes the beef in two ways. Firstly, the moisture evaporates from the meat which creates a stronger beef flavour and taste. Secondly, the natural enzymes in the meat break down the connective tissue making the beef more tender. At Aldens we have four dry age chambers that are controlled by specialist equipment to monitor the air flow, temperate humidity levels. Once the beef is put in the chamber it is locked away, the lights turned off until 28 days later when the products can be prepared.