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Rutland Farmer Makes the Cut with Butchery Investment

Posted: 08/10/2008

Hambleton Farms Ltd, owner of well-known FC Phipps, a butchery and outlet of fine foods and prime, traditional and rare breed stock sourced locally, has invested in the latest computer equipment to help process orders and keep up with demand.

FC Phipps, named Britain’s Best Butcher in 2000, has been operating out of the same building in Mareham-Le-Fen, near Boston, for over 50 years. It was purchased by Rutland farmers and husband and wife team, Andrew and Jill Nelson in 2005, so they could offer a complete ‘farm to fork’ service for consumers. Overlooking Rutland Water, Andrew and Jill’s mixed farm has herds of Longhorn, Dexter and Aberdeen Angus cattle and Hampshire Downs sheep.

Since the acquisition of FC Phipps, the business, which employs eight people, has undergone a number of redevelopments, including the opening of a new outlet at Rand Farm Park near Wragby, and this latest investment in computerised radio based scanning equipment for the butchery’s cutting room to speed up customer orders and invoicing.

Jill Nelson says: “Previously we had to hand write all of our customers’ order and invoices, which took up some of the butcher’s time as well as an admin person. Now all of our processes have been automated, speeding up efficiency and accuracy of the business and enabling us to offer customers an even better service when buying our outstanding range of products.”

Their computerised technology was purchased with the help of a grant from East Midlands New Technology Initiative (NTI) Food & Drink Network. As well as redeveloping the business itself, Hambleton Farms Ltd is also undertaking staff training in Food Safety and HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) at University of Lincoln’s Holbeach campus.

The Nelsons worked with Mike Dixon of Nottingham Trent University, a lead partner in the East Midlands NTI initiative, to get the grant they needed. Mike added: “In our view the company’s application was a valid case. Following visits from Business Link to help them with their business plan, we were pleased to see them awarded the full grant. We look forward to following the success of the business.”