Forman & Field

What Forman & Field does

Forman & Field is the trading brand of H. Forman & Son, a family-owned London smokehouse established in 1905 that today operates as a direct-to-consumer gourmet food e-commerce business. The company is headquartered at H. Forman & Son on Stour Road, Fish Island (E3 2NT), adjacent to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, where the historic London Cure smoked salmon production continues. Over 120 years after its founding by Lance Forman's great-grandfather, the business has expanded from a single-product heritage smokehouse into a six-category curated marketplace spanning fish (smoked salmon, gravadlax, lobster, caviar), meat, deli, sweet, drinks, and British artisan cheese, complemented by a 67+ SKU luxury hamper and gift catalogue.

The company's commercial model combines one-time product sales through its own e-commerce storefront (formanandfield.com), recurring subscription boxes for smoked salmon (Cure Gold, Simply Royal, Royal Variety) and cheese (Cheese Me, Please Me) on 3/6/12-month prepaid terms, bespoke corporate gifting solutions, and a growing experiential vertical comprising smokehouse tours, salmon carving masterclasses with Guinness World Record holder Darren Matson, and the Chef's Table private dining experience. Fulfilment operates on a multi-modal cold-chain: own refrigerated vans for London postcodes, DHL courier for the rest of the UK mainland and peripheral regions (Scottish Islands, Northern Ireland, Channel Islands), and Click & Collect from the Fish Island premises. Reported operational performance stands at 98% on-preferred-date delivery (95% at peak) and 99% in-house quality control.

Customer reach spans individual UK food lovers, corporate gifting buyers, gift purchasers for occasions, entertainers, and experience seekers — segmented via content marketing (blog, email newsletter), LinkedIn, and YouTube. The company operates a wholly-owned restaurant (Forman's Restaurant) and a US subsidiary (Formans USA), but the core e-commerce franchise is UK-domestic. Ownership remains concentrated within the Forman family across four generations with no disclosed external institutional capital or funding history.

Name

Forman & Field

Legal name

H. Forman & Son

Website

https://formanandfield.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1905

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Forman & Field (H. Forman & Son) is a London-based, family-owned gourmet food e-commerce company founded in 1905, delivering UK-wide premium British artisan products — anchored by its London Cure Smoked Salmon — alongside subscriptions, gift hampers, and experiential offerings to individual consumers, gift buyers, and corporate clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Food Retail

NAICS

Specialty Food Retailers (4452), Fish and Seafood Retailers (44525), Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529), Meat Retailers (44524)

SIC

Prepared Fresh Or Frozen Fish & Seafoods (2092), Food And Kindred Products (2000), Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty & Artisanal Online Food Marketplaces (AFAIAMAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Gourmet & Fine Food Stores (CRAHAGAG), Premium Gourmet & Chef-Curated Meal Kits/Prepared Meals (CRAHAJAK), Charcuterie & Cured Meats Specialty Stores (CRAHAGAE)

Keywords

• Gourmet food delivery
• Smoked salmon
• Luxury food hampers
• Artisan cheese subscription
• Private dining experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Direct sales of artisan British gourmet food products including smoked salmon, fish, meat, deli items, cheese, sweets, and drinks through e-commerce platform.
2. Subscription Boxes: Monthly subscription packages for smoked salmon (Cure Gold, Simply Royal, Royal Variety) and artisan cheese. Available in 3, 6, or 12 month terms with free delivery included.
3. Corporate Gifting: Bespoke corporate gift solutions including hampers, gift boxes, and bulk orders for business clients.
4. Experiences: Smokehouse tours (£59 per person), private tours (£79.95pp minimum 2 guests), masterclasses with carving kit, and Chef's Table at Forman's private dining experiences (£95 per head + £500 room hire).
5. Private Dining: Chef's Table at Forman's offers 3-course private dining for 8-14 guests with stunning views of River Lea Canal and Olympic Park. £500 room hire plus £95 per head.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Forman & Field is the direct-to-consumer e-commerce brand of H. Forman & Son, a London smokehouse founded in 1905. The company sells premium British artisan food, anchored by London Cure smoked salmon (Classic, Lean, Fatty, D-Cut), alongside gravadlax, lobster, prepared meats, charcuterie, artisan cheeses, confectionery, English wines and beers, and curated gift hampers. It also operates subscription boxes (salmon and cheese, in 3/6/12-month terms), gift vouchers, and on-site experiences including smokehouse tours, salmon carving masterclasses, and the Chef's Table private dining experience.

Product overview

Forman & Field is a gourmet food delivery company and online marketplace operated by H. Forman & Son, a historic London smokehouse established in 1905. The business offers a diverse portfolio of premium British artisan food products organized across six core categories: Fish (centered on their signature London Cure Smoked Salmon, plus gravadlax, lobster, and caviar), Meat (including beef cuts, charcuterie, and prepared dishes), Deli (pies, quiches, prepared foods), Sweet (patisserie and confectionery), Drinks (English wines, beers, and spirits), and Cheese (British artisan varieties). Beyond individual products, the company operates subscription services for regular deliveries of smoked salmon or cheese, offers experience-based services including smokehouse tours, masterclasses, and the Chef's Table private dining experience, and sells curated luxury gift hampers containing multiple artisan products. The business combines direct-to-consumer e-commerce with experiential retail, maintaining the heritage smokehouse tradition while expanding into broader gourmet food delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• London Cure Smoked Salmon Premium hand-sliced smoked salmon cured using the traditional London Cure method since 1905, made with Grade One Scottish Salmon, rock salt, and oak smoke. Available in Classic, Lean, Fatty, and D-Cut varieties in 200g and 400g packs.
• Gravadlax Selection Scandinavian-style cured salmon prepared using traditional salt and sugar preservation methods. Available in Classic Dill, Beetroot, Wasabi & Ginger, Gin & Tonic, and Whisky & Orange flavors.
• Potted Lobster Award-winning (5-star from The Spectator) delicacy made to order with fresh lobster, prepared in the company's kitchens.
• Beef Wellington Classic beef Wellington dish prepared by the company's chefs for home dining.
• Marmalade Glazed Alderton Ham Traditional British ham with marmalade glaze, sourced from Alderton.
• British Artisan Cheese Box Curated selection of British artisan cheeses, featuring award-winning varieties.
• Tunworth Cheese British artisan soft cheese, baked and prepared for customers.
• Cropwell Bishop Stilton Traditional British blue cheese from Nottinghamshire.
• Salmon Subscription (Cure Gold, Simply Royal, Royal Variety) Monthly subscription boxes delivering London Cure Smoked Salmon in various formats: Cure Gold convenience packs, Simply Royal 400g Royal Fillet, or Royal Variety with classic and flavored varieties. Available in 3, 6, or 12-month terms with free delivery included.
• Cheese Subscription (Cheese Me, Please Me) Monthly cheese subscription delivering two award-winning British cheeses plus crackers, chutney, or figs. Available in 3, 6, or 12-month terms.
• Smokehouse Tours Guided tours of the H. Forman & Son smokehouse in London, including historical introduction, smokehouse access, salmon carving demonstration by Guinness World Record holder Darren Matson, and tasting platter. Public tours from £59, private tours from £79.95 per person.
• Salmon Carving Masterclass Expert masterclass with Guinness World Record holder Darren Matson covering smoked salmon carving techniques, including a side of salmon to take home and a specialist carving kit.
• Chef's Table at Forman's Private dining experience at the riverside restaurant overlooking River Lea Canal and Olympic Park. Custom 3-course set menu for 8-14 guests, with optional extras including cheese platters and English sparkling wine. Room hire £500, £95 per person.
• The British Artisan Hamper Premium wicker hamper containing 15 artisan favorites including London Cure Smoked Salmon, Potted Lobster, Royal Roe caviar, Wild Smoked Salmon Pâté, Mrs King's Pork Pie, charcuterie, cheese, chocolates, and truffle products. Priced at £207.95.
• Luxury Hampers & Gifts Range of 67 luxury food hampers and gourmet gifts including Celebration Dinner for Two, The Ultimate Care Package, Afternoon Tea Hampers, Whisky & Smoked Salmon Hamper, and themed gift boxes. Starting from £4.95 for gift vouchers up to £331.95 for Deluxe Hamper.
• Gift Vouchers Digital and physical gift vouchers available from £20.00, allowing recipients to choose their own gourmet food products.
• Balfour Leslie's Reserve English Sparkling Wine Award-winning English sparkling wine made using Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier grapes. Named after co-producer Leslie, well-balanced with lively acidity and hint of sweetness. 12% ABV, priced at £36.50.
• Court Garden Classic Cuvée Brut English sparkling wine from Sussex, produced using traditional Champagne method with bottle fermenting and long ageing. Crisp but complex, featuring Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier. 12% ABV.
• Artisan du Chocolat Salted Caramels Award-winning salted caramel chocolates with liquid caramel centers. Available in milk chocolate (130g, £17.94) and dark chocolate 72% (130g) variants, presented in Chanel-style packaging.
• Highland Chocolatier Award-winning 'naked' pure ganache truffles by Iain Burnett, trained under Belgian, Swiss, and French master chocolatiers. Alcohol-free and suitable for vegetarians, priced at £29.90.
• F&F Limited Edition English Fizz (Salmon Leather Label) Limited edition English sparkling wine featuring distinctive salmon leather label design, an exclusive collaboration with artisan producers.
• Forman's Restaurant (Fish Island) Riverside restaurant at Fish Island, London, offering fine dining with views of the River Lea Canal and Olympic Park. Related to but operated as a separate venue from the Forman & Field e-commerce business.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% on-time delivery rate
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Charlie Bigham's:

Direct peers

• Daylesford: UK-based premium farm-to-door DTC food retailer offering organic produce, meat, dairy, bakery, and hampers. Closely comparable to Forman & Field in premium DTC positioning, curated artisan assortment, gift hamper range, and UK-wide refrigerated delivery model.
• Cook: UK DTC prepared-meal specialist delivering restaurant-quality frozen and chilled ready meals direct to consumers. Direct overlap with Forman & Field's prepared meals (Beef Wellington, Lobster Thermidor, pies, quiches) and chilled courier delivery model.
• Brindisa: UK specialist in Spanish and Mediterranean artisan food with DTC e-commerce, subscription offerings, and a curated range of cheeses, charcuterie, and pantry items. Comparable curated specialty-DTC model and curated assortment to Forman & Field.
• Paxton & Whitfield: UK heritage cheesemonger (royal warrant holder) specialising in British and European artisan cheeses via DTC channels and cheesemonger shops. Direct overlap with Forman & Field's cheese subscription, cheese hampers, and cheese gifting category.
• The Cornish Fishmonger: UK DTC fishmonger delivering fresh fish, shellfish, and smoked seafood nationwide via chilled courier. Comparable to the smoked salmon and seafood core of Forman & Field's product range and direct-to-door cold-chain model.

Broad incumbents

• Fortnum & Mason: Iconic UK heritage retailer famous for its luxury hampers, teas, and gourmet food gifts. Overlaps directly with Forman & Field's hamper/gifting business and premium British positioning, but operates at much greater scale and brand recognition.
• Harvey Nichols: UK luxury department store with a strong food hall and online gourmet grocery range including hampers, cheeses, wines, and seasonal gifts. Comparable in premium positioning and gifting but operates as a much broader multi-category retailer.
• Selfridges: UK luxury department store with a flagship food hall and substantial online gourmet grocery, wine, and gift hamper offering. Comparable premium and gifting positioning to Forman & Field, though operates at significantly greater scale and breadth.

Emerging players

• Natoora: London-based DTC specialist in seasonal, artisan and rare-ingredient produce supplying both restaurants and home consumers. Comparable premium DTC artisan food positioning, though with a produce-led rather than prepared/smoked salmon focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xlinkedin.com/company/formanandfield
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@formanfield847
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/formanandfield
• Facebookfacebook.com/formanandfieldfans

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Forman & Field