HARD-WONSUCCESSFOR DEVONDUCKENTERPRISE
HARD-WONSUCCESSFOR DEVONDUCKENTERPRISE
The best of British farming
youth was celebrated in the
NFUs Young Farmer of the
Year Award earlier this
month. Stephen Howe and
Mike Stones profile the
winner and runner-up
DONT look for a sign outside Merrifield Farm. But if there was one it would read: "No middlemen here". James Coleman, who raises 700 ducks/week on his fathers farm near Crediton, Devon, is committed to keeping as much margin as possible. It was that steely determination which helped him win the NFU Young Farmer of the Year award, sponsored by Tesco and farmers weekly.
"There are just two people in my business – me and the customer," says 22-year-old James. Customers who have been hard won, over the past three-and-a-half years since he left school.
Cold calling on local restaurants and butchers shops proved daunting but James knew that was the only way to turn potential customers into clients. "Its never easy knocking on doors and I still take it personally when head chefs refuse to order. But everyone who has taken a sample of meat has placed an order," says James.
Traceability and taste are the two factors behind the success of Creedy Carver Ducks, he adds. "All the ducks are fed on an additive free ration which contains no GM material. It is also free of all added hormones and growth promoters and is milled on the farm using a concentrate and 50% home-grown wheat.
Compared with selling the birds, producing them is relatively straightforward, according to James. All the birds are reared up to four weeks of age in a brooding shed, which James converted from a pig fattening house. Next, they are moved into free range and barn-rearing systems using either home-built, purposed-designed sheds or converted farm buildings.
Emphasis is placed on high welfare systems. Ducks have access to a pond and an area of four sq m/bird to exercise in.
At the end of their short, but James claims, happy lives, the ducks are processed in the family-licensed, low through put processing plant. The result is meat with a better flavour, texture and meat:bone ratio. "In comparison with the competition, my duck meat has a far better flavour. Its that characteristic, plus information about how the ducks were produced, that my customers are looking for," says James.
Theres no shortage of low-priced competition. With French duck breasts under cutting James product by up to £3/kg, he knows that its the top end of the market where Creedy Carver Ducks must make its mark.
"When customers buy from me, they know they are buying top quality. They know where the birds come from and what they were fed. That gives us an edge over the French."
In addition to James, the business employs one full-time person and five part-time helpers. A useful sideline developed over the past year helps to fill out troughs in labour requirement.
The venture focuses on the construction and sale of arks designed for free range poultry and game. "2001 was the first full year of building the sheds called Mod-arks and we have already taken orders worth £50,000."
Expansion is very much on James mind. "I would like to increase my output of ducks to 1100/week. But that will mean designing and building a new rearing shed which will hold four pens of up to 400 birds to run in conjunction with the present system."
And more ducks will need more customers to enjoy them. James hopes the internet could play a key role in finding customers further afield. "My web-site www.creedycarver.co.uk has details of the duck enterprise and the rearing sheds."
Whatever the future may hold, James is determined his duck enterprise will stay as close to his customers as possible. "When my father sells cattle, he takes the price on offer. But with Creedy Carver Ducks, we can make our own price thanks to the quality, traceability and market information supplied with our product," says James.
"Theres no room for middlemen in my business. I am determined to retain as much margin as possible."
FINALISTS
• David Barnard, Mill House Farm, Shropham, Attleborough, Norkfolk.
• Beth Cohen, Horsehay, Telford, Shropshire.
• William Howe, Sheffield Park Farm, Uckfield, East Sussex.
• Richard Tomlinson, Gracemire Farm, Salwick, near Preston.
• Plus winner and runner-up.