In a move reflecting the growing desire of consumers to know where their meat has come from, independent butchers shop, Farmers Pantry has opened in Whitchurch Cardiff. Farmers Pantry, which supplies meat to rugby clubs including Cardiff Blues and Llanelli Scarlets, is expanding its successful enterprise in Llantwit Major, where director and local farmer, Rhodri Davies first opened a shop to sell his own farm meat direct in October 2011. The ‘Field to Fork’ formula did so well that he moved to larger premises in the market town in March this year, and has now ventured into the capital city to a building that has historical precedent.
The new shop is located on a prominent corner of Merthyr Road in Whitchurch and was secured in a deal negotiated with landlord H Woodley & Co by Cooke & Arkwright. The premises have gone through many reincarnations in recent years – most latterly as a card shop – but now the retail offering has come full circle. Ben Davies, surveyor with Cooke & Arkwright’s Retail agency said, “This was originally a butchers shop, most recently as part of the Woodley’s chain, but was let out as a gift shop when Woodleys left the meat trade to go into property. It is fascinating that this building has been reopened by a traditional butcher again.”
Rhodri Davies said that in the process of renovating the shop they had uncovered original butchers’ tiles on the walls advertising produce, and even more remarkably, the original sign for Charles Buckner, who was butcher there in the early 1950s. “We have restored some of the tiles and also opened up the original roof with elevated grills which would have naturally aired the old butchers shop,” he said.
Rhys Morgan of H Woodley & Co, which is now a subsidiary of property company Richard Morgan & Co, said, “We are naturally delighted with this letting. Farmers Pantry will be a great addition to this high street which already enjoys an excellent mix of independent and national quality retailers.”
Mr Davies’s 2,500 acre mixed arable and pasture farm, Rosedew, has over 250 head of cattle. RDR also runs a thriving wholesale business supplying local pubs and restaurants, including Penarth Pier, the Gallery in Barry, the Plough and Harrow, Monknash, the Shoes in Marcross and the Fox in Llancarfan, many of whom use the Farmers Pantry name to promote the traceability of their menu.
Specified cuts and homemade sausages are hand prepared, including pork and leek, lamb and rosemary, beef and marmalade, and Welsh Dragon flavours, while dry cured beef such as Biltong and Droewors, introduced by South African manager Dawie Beyers, is popular with the rugby teams for its sugar-free, high protein content. Since 2010, Rosedew Farm has also hosted a successful wedding venue, the Great Barn, along with five self-catering cottages and six holiday lodges.
Independent butchers are enjoying a revival on the high streets. In March, Simply Business reported in Meat Trades Journal that their number was up by 9% across the country. Their popularity has been boosted by a number of food scares including the horse meat scandal and more recently, studies by the Food Standards Agency and consumer group Which?, found that takeaways are routinely selling lamb curries and kebabs containing unidentified meats. This has led many consumers to source meat they can recognise from old-style butchers they can trust, which is very welcome news for enterprising farmers like Rhodri Davies.