Free-range egg producer wins major Co-operative contract

Family-run James Potter Yorkshire Free Range Eggs, which is based at Catton, between Ripon and Thirsk, will sell its medium and large free-range eggs in Co-op stores across Yorkshire.

The listing also comes as good news to Yorkshire Air Ambulance, which receives 1p from every box of a dozen eggs sold.

The deal is expected to raise an extra £1,000 per year, adding to the £40,000 the company has already raised for the charity.

Adrian Potter, director of Yorkshire Farmhouse Eggs, said: “This is great news for the business and for the profile of our ever-growing brand in Yorkshire.

“We take real pride in our family business and our eggs, so we’re delighted that the Co-operative is supporting Yorkshire producers; especially as they are so passionate about animal welfare and were one of the first retailers to use only free-range eggs in all their own-brand products.

Kate Jones, head of Local Sourcing, said: “Our customers have told us they want to buy local products at their Co-op store and so we have responded by teaming up with more than 50 new Yorkshire suppliers.

“Products made in the vicinity of our stores are prized by customers who want to support locally produced regional food which often helps to define a specific area such as Yorkshire.

“Our unique local sourcing initiative has been designed to break down the barriers which have previously made it difficult for small companies to supply large national organisations.”

James Potter Yorkshire Free Range Eggs has seen the volume of free-range eggs it handles increase by 55 per cent in the past five years.

The company is currently investing in a state-of-the art on-farm packing centre and a new egg-grader, with a capacity to handle 126,000 eggs per hour and the latest ‘self-cleaning’ hygiene modules and robotic egg-handling.

The company is one of several egg producers in the area. Others include Chippindale Foods at Starbeck and Ian Taylor Free Range Eggs at Burton Leonard; Noble Egg Innovations at Kettlesing Head is one of the country’s biggest producers of dried and liquid egg products.