After 25 years of dedication to welfare, purity and eating quality, we have decided to desist.

For a number of years, we have been grappling with a decline in turnover caused by customers drifting away. We believe that they were most likely beguiled by descriptions of meat purporting to be similar to ours. It is much easier (and more profitable) for supermarkets, butchers and farm shops to sound like us than to be like us!

During 2011, our final attempts to maintain a critical commercial mass did not materialise and so we decided to do the honourable thing against a backdrop of difficult choices:

a) Sell the business. With what we have always considered acceptable security and checking measures in place, the business is no longer viable. In addition, it is our belief that any potential purchaser would eventually succumb to the temptation to cheat. There is considerable precedent for this.

b) Trade on. If security measures were maintained at the current turnover, we would rapidly become insolvent which would put at risk our valued suppliers and partners, developed over the years. Our sense of honour and principle would not allow this.

c) Desist. With 25 years of huge achievements behind us and with the meat industry improved dramatically, we believe that the honourable thing to do is to pull up the stumps and head back to the pavilion. All debts are paid and we have endeavoured to see our staff redeployed into new careers of their choice.

To those who are disappointed, we express our genuine sympathy.

For those still wanting to buy meat reared to a higher standard we have suggestions.

For those who stuck with us by buying the product and supporting our aims we extend our sincere gratitude.

Consultancy

Under certain circumstances our vast experience remains available to researchers and journalists. E-mail details to us if this servioce might be of interest to you.

Where can properly reared meat and poultry be obtained?

In January 2012, the final authorised Real Meat Stockists were The Real Meat Company Shop, Sheffield and Real Meat Whitings, Caversham.

The proprietors of these businesses have been put in direct contact with the Real Meat Company approved farmers extant at the time.

This means that these outlets are a good bet for quality meat properly reared. Their new contact details are given below.

Real Meat Direct, our national delivery service, has been operated under contract by Whitings of Caversham since the 1990s. They will be given the knowledge and expertise to continue a national delivery system which will be called Real Meat Whitings. Details are to be found below.

Sheffield Real Meat

950 Ecclesall Road
Sheffield
S11 8TR

0114 266 1197

Click HERE to visit website.

Whitings Real Meat - National delivery service

20 Coldicutt Street
Caversham
RG4 8DU

01189472048

Click HERE to order meat to be delivered directly to your home or place of work anywhere in the UK.

More questions?

Please check out "Questions answered" to find out more.