Summary
Booths identified the opportunity of using ‘ National Trust’ branded beef to provide a strong quality and provenance message to its customers. EFFP worked with Booths, the National Trust and beef farmers to establish the supply chain that was needed to deliver this offer sourcing local beef directly from National Trust farmers.
This enabled Booths to be the first supermarket to sell beef produced locally by National Trust farmers and brand it as such. It also enabled the farmers to take advantage of farming on National Trust land, produce quality beef that generates a price premium and to build a stronger relationship with their customer.
The business challenge
Booths identified a need to differentiate their over the counter fresh beef in order to give its consumers better quality and choice. Initial research identifi ed that many of Booths consumers are National Trust members. The combination of its consumers’ demand for high quality beef as well as a keen interest in how and where it is produced pointed to a clear opportunity to develop traditional beef products, sourced directly from National Trust farmers.
However, as many of the National Trust farms in the Lake District and Cumbria are in upland areas it made it difficult for the farmers to be able to rear and fi nish a suffi cient volume of cattle to make the initiative work. And moving the animals onto non National Trust farms in the local area would lose the valuable point of difference of the product. In addition, it was unclear as to whether it was possible to sell the beef at a competitive retail price that would generate enough margin to offset the higher costs of production and ensure the chain could be commercially sustainable.
How we helped?
EFFP were able to help in two ways. First, in conjunction with the National Trust we developed a set of parameters to ensure the right level of quality beef would be produced. To be eligible the animals must be sired by a traditional breed bull such as the Hereford or Angus, be born and bred on a National Trust holding in the region and the farm must be Freedom Foods assured.
We also developed a pricing model and facilitated commercial discussions between Booths and the farmers. The key challenge was to arrive at pricing that refl ected the traditional nature of the animals higher cost of production but still enabled Booths to offer the consumer good value for money.
Second, to address the difficulty of finishing cattle in Cumbria EFFP reviewed the National Trust farm tenants on estates in Yorkshire. We were able to identify farmers with the potential to finish cattle that would produce high quality beef. To ensure longevity of the initiative EFFP continue to manage the scheme and in particular are looking at ways to develop the business relationship between Booths, the National Trust and the farmers.
The outcome
EFFP were able to help in two ways. First, in conjunction with the National Trust we developed a set of parameters to ensure the right level of quality beef would be produced. To be eligible the animals must be sired by a traditional breed bull such as the Hereford or Angus, be born and bred on a National Trust holding in the region and the farm must be Freedom Foods assured. We also developed a pricing model and facilitated commercial discussions between Booths and the farmers. The key challenge was to arrive at pricing that refl ected the traditional nature of the animals higher cost of production but still enabled Booths to offer the consumer good value for money.
Second, to address the difficulty of finishing cattle in Cumbria EFFP reviewed the National Trust farm tenants on estatesin Yorkshire. We were able to identify farmers with the potential to fi nish cattle that would produce high quality beef. To ensure longevity of the initiative EFFP continue to manage the scheme and in particular are looking at ways to develop the business relationship between Booths, the National Trust and the farmers.