Primrose Herd, a family business which has been supplying the finest Cornish pork to retail customers and the hospitality trade for over two decades, has expanded to a new site in Newham on the outskirts of Truro.
The large new processing facility, office space and pop-up shop will allow Primrose Herd to keep up with demand; online sales are increasing and many of Cornwall’s most prestigious hotels and restaurants list Primrose Herd pork on their menus.
The expansion has been overseen by Sally Lugg, an award-winning farmer and business leader, who has grown the family operation from just two pigs in 1999 to the nationally-renowned producer of quality pork it is today.
Sally commented: “There’s a lot of uncertainty and change in farming and food production right now, but our supply chain is short and luckily we’ve got loyal, skilled staff, so we’ve avoided the worst of the recent upheaval.”
She continued: “Despite the challenges of the pandemic, demand continues to grow so it feels like the right time to expand into a new facility. We’re offering a Click & Collect service here in Newham for online orders, and will be opening a pop-up shop in the run-up to Christmas.”
Sally choose Newham due to its handy location close to customers in Truro and easy access to the road network, plus the large facility has everything Primrose Herd needs to help it expand; backed by Newham BID the area is home to over 100 of Cornwall’s most successful companies and boasts a thriving business environment.
For Primrose Farm it all started on the edge of Redruth, where the Lugg family – Sally, husband Bill and their three children Rachael, Abi and Josh – perfected their approach to rearing traditional breeds slowly and at low densities, with plenty of time spent outdoors enjoying a natural diet to encourage gradual growth.
These days Primrose Herd also sources pigs from other non-intensive, outdoor-reared farming and smallholding set-ups across Cornwall, and had outgrown its own small processing facility on the farm.
Now the butchery in Newham will be the hub of the operation allowing Sally and her team, which includes experienced Head Butcher Jake Gregory, to continue to meet the demand from their discerning hospitality customers and ethical food lovers.
Sally explained: “We’re increasingly being sought-out by consumers who eat less meat and opt for non-intensive, outdoor-reared pork for their occasional weekend joint, knowing that it will be of the highest quality and provenance. Consumers are more aware of where their meat comes from, and what the ethical and environmental implications of that are.”
Click & Collect orders are already being taken via the website www.primroseherd.co.uk and the pop-up shop will be in operation most Fridays and Saturdays in the run-up to Christmas – for details of days/times please see their social media channels on Twitter – @primroseherd, Facebook – PrimroseHerdPork, and Instagram primroseherd.
Primrose Herd’s new HQ is at Cornwall Cold Store , Lighterage Hill, Newham, Truro TR1 2XR.
Photo credits: Anthony Greenwood Photography & Stewart Girvan.
