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Duchy Originals. This just goes to show that its equally
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Bodger



Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

PostPosted: Wed Jul 09, 08 10:11 am    Post subject: Duchy Originals. This just goes to show that its equally Reply with quote
    

Important to see what's not on the label of a product as whats actually on it.

Duchey Originals is a large company headed by our future King Charles the third. Its based on the produce of his largely organic estate in Cornwall. The company has a turnover in excess of 38 million pounds and its food range runs to many hundreds of items.

I watched one of a number of programmes last night on the company, its ethos and how its policies benefit the environment and countryside communities etc.
The companies foodstuffs are all from organic sutainable resources but when it came to the Duchy brand of jams and preserves, I was in for a bit of an eye opener. The jams were made under licence, as are a number of other lines. The jams had a nicel posh label with the Duchy crest along with a list of contents etc. All in all, the products were nicely presented, as should any foodstuff be thats going to go on and demand a premium price. The programme showed clips of the various jams and preserves being made in a super duper factory but then came the shocker. During the clip, the interviewer casually asked where the fruits were sourced and the factory director replied, that the organic strawberries came from Turkey and that the black currants were sourced from Denmark. He went onto explain that the fruits came from abroad because our weather conditions here in the UK encouraged mould growth and that they couldn't source quality and quantity raw products in the UK.

Now this programme was obviously designed to give Duchy Originals a glowing report and in all honesty, it probably is a nearly excellent and well motivated company but fair play to the presenters, because they stuck at the task of investigating this slightly suprising fact. They asked one of the companies sales executives about it. The woman looked fairly guilty but stuck to her guns that the company had nothing to hide. She said that if anyone was to enquire about the origin of any of their products then an honest answer would be given.
This of course IMO completely misses the point. A decision had obviously been taken by the company not to tell the consumer that the strawberries had travelled thousands of air or road miles . So the moral is, its not just a matter of reading whats on the label, you also need to know whats not on it.

tahir



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45389
Location: Essex
PostPosted: Wed Jul 09, 08 10:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

If you want English strawberries in your jam buy Tiptree.

gil
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18409

PostPosted: Wed Jul 09, 08 11:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I find it hard to believe they can't get UK organic blackcurrants for their jam - bushes are prolific fruiters, and not that prone to disease / pests, nor to bad weather.

Behemoth



Joined: 01 Dec 2004
Posts: 19023
Location: Leeds
PostPosted: Wed Jul 09, 08 11:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Expensive to pick though?

There's a lot of sugar in their soup.

Bodger



Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

PostPosted: Wed Jul 09, 08 1:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

https://www.duchyoriginals.com/about_duchy.php

Stacey



Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow
PostPosted: Wed Jul 09, 08 2:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I have a strangely irrational dislike of Duchy Organics

Maybe he could help some of the Cornish farmers hit by various crises by assisting them to diversify into growing blackcurrants for his jam.

wellington womble



Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands
PostPosted: Wed Jul 09, 08 7:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Don't ribena pinch them all? I agree - you have to assume anything not said is not happening. I've been looking for stuff produced in the UK more lately, and it's surprising the amount of hedging there is. On the weetabix packet it says 'milled and baked here' But it doesn't say grown here, so I assume it is not. Mind you, I'm a frightful cynic.

I don't much like Duchy stuff - it's very expensive (and I don't generally mind spending a few bob on food) and not all that great. It also doesn't all say its organic (like the ham) and the bacon tastes of fish (or did last time I tried it, which was some time ago, I admit)

judith



Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire
PostPosted: Thu Jul 10, 08 12:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

The gingery biscuits are quite nice, and the beer isn't bad.

sparrow



Joined: 14 May 2008
Posts: 34
Location: Norfolk
PostPosted: Fri Jul 11, 08 8:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

The beer, I think, is made by Wychwood brewery in Oxfordshire. (Hobgoblin, Brakspear et al).

judith



Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire
PostPosted: Fri Jul 11, 08 8:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

sparrow wrote:
The beer, I think, is made by Wychwood brewery in Oxfordshire. (Hobgoblin, Brakspear et al).


That explains why it I like it, then. I'm rather partial to the odd Brakspear.

Stacey



Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow
PostPosted: Fri Jul 11, 08 8:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

sparrow wrote:
The beer, I think, is made by Wychwood brewery in Oxfordshire. (Hobgoblin, Brakspear et al).


Which part of it comes form Cornwall then?

Jonnyboy



Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.
PostPosted: Fri Jul 11, 08 8:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

gil wrote:
I find it hard to believe they can't get UK organic blackcurrants for their jam - bushes are prolific fruiters, and not that prone to disease / pests, nor to bad weather.


Ribena nick them all.

Jonnyboy



Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.
PostPosted: Fri Jul 11, 08 8:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Stacey wrote:
Which part of it comes form Cornwall then?


The label?

Stacey



Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow
PostPosted: Fri Jul 11, 08 8:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Jonnyboy wrote:
Stacey wrote:
Which part of it comes form Cornwall then?


The label?


I doubt it - that's probably outsourced as well

Nick



Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford
PostPosted: Fri Jul 11, 08 9:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

judith wrote:
sparrow wrote:
The beer, I think, is made by Wychwood brewery in Oxfordshire. (Hobgoblin, Brakspear et al).


That explains why it I like it, then. I'm rather partial to the odd Brakspear.


UNless the brand has been bought, Wychwood don't make Brakspear. I'm way out of date, but I ran Wychwood's first pub! Lovely place in St. Aines.

Happy days...

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