Supplier Blog: Packington Free Range Pork

Business background:

Meet Packington Free Range, one of just two suppliers of our lovely free range pork. The pork side of Packington is run by Robert Mercer. His great-grandpa Percy (thats him in the hat, in the middle of the photo below) believed that what's good for the animals and the land would be good for customers. This approach to making food sustainable for the long term still underpins everything they do today. 

Provenance: 

The Mercer’s are also passionate about the environment. The buildings on the farm have solar panels which make the offices and cold stores carbon neutral. 

Why we like them: 

Their pigs are truly free range- even born outside- and are reared to the highest welfare standards, as recognised by the RSPCA. They have plenty of space to roam, be sociable and mud to wallow in. Happy pigs equal healthy pigs!

Little known facts:

Since 1997, Packington Free Range have introduced over a whopping 52km of field margins to their farm as well as a comprehensive hedge laying scheme. They've also promoted bio-diversity by planting over 80,000 trees. 

In 2013 they became LEAF certified (Linking Environment and Farming), which means the farm is evaluated so it can further reduce its carbon footprint, and ensure all welfare systems are second to none. In short, they are exactly the kind of supplier that COOK likes to work with. 

Tony Mayer, Head of Supply Chain

Richard Pike, Technical and Sustainability Director

Our Ingredients