What Fridays does

Fridays Ltd is a privately-held, family-owned UK food producer founded in the 1970s and headquartered at Chequer Tree Farm, Cranbrook, Kent. It operates one of the three largest egg production and packing operations in the United Kingdom, producing and packing approximately 10 million eggs per week across shell, free range, barn, colony and organic categories, and supplying the majority of shell eggs nationally into major multiple retailers in both branded and own-label formats. The company employs around 280 people across 11 sites in Kent and runs a UFAS-accredited in-house feed mill producing 1,200 tonnes of hen feed per week.

Fridays maintains the highest level of vertical integration in the UK egg sector, controlling every step from rearing day-old chicks, pullet rearing, and in-house feed milling (using arable inputs grown on its own land) through production flocks, grading, packing and national distribution via its own HGV fleet. A purpose-built chilled products division, launched in the late 1990s, manufactures 45-50 tonnes per week of sandwich fillings, salads, dips, pasta, noodles, grains, pulses, chicken and tuna fillings, and boiled eggs using cooking, quenching and MAP (modified atmosphere packaging) technology in formats from 200g to 10kg. The division now accounts for approximately 25% of group turnover and serves sandwich bars, chilled distributors, food manufacturers and food-to-go retailers alongside larger food service customers.

The business model is B2B sales-led, generating revenue through commercial supply contracts with major UK retailers, large food service companies, sandwich bar chains, chilled distributors and food manufacturers. Fridays holds a unique ISO 14001:2000 environmental accreditation among major UK egg producers, alongside ISO 9001:2000, ISO 17025 UKAS-accredited laboratory, BRC Food Standard, and OHSAS 18001:2001 certifications, and is a founding member of the BEIC Lion Quality scheme. The company is currently restructuring its production mix to phase out colony eggs entirely by 2025 in favour of free range and barn production, supported by a free range producer partnership network across Central and Southern England.

Name

Fridays

Legal name

Fridays Ltd

Website

https://fridays.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Fridays Ltd is a family-owned UK food producer and one of the three largest egg packers in Britain, producing 10 million eggs per week for major retailers and food service companies. It also operates a chilled products division manufacturing sandwich fillings, salads, dips and cooked grains for food manufacturers and food-to-go retailers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Egg Production and Chilled Food Manufacturing

NAICS

Food Manufacturing (311), Chicken Egg Production (112310), Chicken Egg Production (11231)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Egg Collection, Grading & Packing (On-Farm/Producer-Owned) (AFAEADAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Prepared salads, sandwiches & wraps manufacturing (AFAKAHAE)

Keywords

• Shell egg production
• Free range eggs
• Chilled prepared foods
• Vertically integrated farming
• Egg packing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Cranbrook

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Shell Eggs Production and Packing: Produces and packs 10 million eggs per week across all categories. Majority nationally supplied into multiple retail in branded and own brand formats.
2. Chilled Products Division: Produces sandwich fillings, salads, dips and boiled eggs. Accounts for 25% of Fridays turnover. Recent investment of £2 million to accommodate growing demand. Produces 45-50 tonnes per week of prepared wet salads, sandwich fillings and dips.
3. Feed Mill: Produces 1,200 tonnes of feed per week for hens. Supplies both internal production and external free range producers.
4. Free Range Producer Partnerships: Partnership model with free range and organic producers offering competitive prices, fast-track payment systems, and comprehensive support package including production advice, technical guidance, planning applications, poultry house layout and breed selection.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Fridays is a UK food producer that produces, grades and packs shell eggs (free range, barn, colony and organic) at a rate of ten million eggs per week, and operates a chilled products division that manufactures prepared wet salads, sandwich fillings, dips, boiled eggs, pasta, noodles, grains and pulses at 45-50 tonnes per week. Products are supplied nationally to major multiple retailers (branded and own label), food service companies, sandwich bars, chilled distributors and food manufacturers.

Product overview

Fridays is a vertically integrated food producer offering shell eggs and chilled prepared food products. The core product lines are Shell Eggs (free range, barn, colony, and organic eggs producing ten million eggs weekly) and Chilled Products (45-50 tonnes per week of prepared wet salads, sandwich fillings, dips, and boiled eggs). The chilled products division manufactures pasta, noodles, grains, pulses, chicken fillings, egg mayonnaise, tuna fillings, coleslaw, pasta salads, and dips for food manufacturers, caterers, and food-to-go retailers. Fridays also operates its own UFAS accredited feed mill producing 1,200 tonnes of feed weekly. The product portfolio is supported by technical excellence through BRC Food Standard certification and in-house NPD capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Shell Eggs Free range, barn, colony and organic shell eggs produced under Lion Code and RSPCA Assured welfare standards. Fridays produces and packs ten million eggs a week across all categories, with the majority nationally supplied to multiple retail in branded and own-brand formats.
• Chilled Products Fresh prepared foods including sandwich fillings, salads, dips and boiled eggs manufactured for food manufacturers, caterers and food-to-go retailers using cooking, quenching and MAP technology in formats between 200g and 5kg. The division produces 45-50 tonnes per week and recently received a £2 million investment to accommodate growing demand.
• Pasta & Noodles Fresh, ready-cooked pastas and noodles produced using cooking, quenching and MAP technology in formats between 200g and 5kg for food manufacturers and foodservice providers.
• Grain & Pulses Cooked rice, lentils, couscous, quinoa and charlotte potatoes supplied in MAP formats between 400g and 5kg for food manufacturers and foodservice providers.
• Chicken Fillings Sandwich fillings including chicken mayonnaise and spicy peri peri chicken for food manufacturers, caterers and food-to-go retailers.
• Egg Mayonnaise Egg mayonnaise available in standard, Lion Egg and Free Range varieties with different chop sizes, supplied to food manufacturers and foodservice providers.
• Tuna Fillings Tuna sandwich fillings ranging from simple tuna mayonnaise to Mediterranean tuna chunk, available in dolphin friendly and pole and line caught options.
• Coleslaw

Quantifiable outcome

• 10 million eggs per week production capacity
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RSPCA AssuredcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFridays works with the RSPCA through their RSPCA Assured scheme to ensure that free range and barn systems meet comprehensive welfare requirements. This partnership supports animal welfare standards across production.
• BEIC (British Egg Industry Council) Lion Quality SchemecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member of the Lion Quality scheme which focused on egg safety and established welfare requirements. Fridays is committed to Lion Code of Practice for all eggs produced.
• Organic Farmers and GrowerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganic hens are fed on organically certified feed and range on organic land. Eggs produced to the widely recognised Organic Farmers and Growers code of practice.
• Free Range and Organic ProducerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership model with free range and organic producers offering competitive prices, fast-track payment systems, and comprehensive support package. Producers situated in Central or Southern England. Support includes production advice, technical guidance, planning applications, poultry house layout and breed selection.
• Local Farmers (Cereal Suppliers)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFridays sources cereals from local farmers where possible for their UFAS accredited feed mill. Looking for more Farm Assured grain producers to contact for expanding business.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• 2 Sisters Food Group: One of the largest UK food manufacturers with chilled, bakery and protein categories; serves many of the same multiple retailers and food-to-go customers as Fridays' chilled products business.
• Greencore: UK and Ireland's largest manufacturer of convenience foods with sandwich, salad and chilled prepared food divisions. Overlaps directly with Fridays' sandwich fillings, salads and dips supplied to sandwich bars and food manufacturers.
• Stonegate Farmers: Major UK egg producer and packer with vertically integrated production and packing across free range, organic and barn systems. Highly comparable in operating model and UK retailer focus.
• Bakkavor: UK-listed chilled prepared food manufacturer serving sandwich, salad and food-to-go customers across major retailers. Comparable to Fridays' chilled products division on customers, formats and MAP technology-based supply.
• Noble Foods: One of the largest UK egg producers and packers, supplying major retailers in branded and own-label formats across free range, barn and organic. Directly comparable to Fridays on scale, customer mix, and Lion Code/UK retail focus.
• The Lakes Free Range Egg Company: Cumbrian-based free range egg producer and packer with national supply into UK retailers; matches Fridays' free range / RSPCA-assured positioning though at smaller scale.
• Tulip Ltd: UK food manufacturer with prepared and added-value protein products for retail and food service. Comparable to Fridays in providing chilled added-value ingredients to UK food manufacturers and sandwich makers.
• Cranswick: UK vertically integrated food producer with prepared foods and poultry categories supplying major retailers and food service. Comparable on vertically integrated UK food manufacturing and retailer/category management model.

Broad incumbents

• Moy Park: Major UK and Ireland poultry integrator raising and processing broilers and added-value chicken products. Comparable in poultry supply chain capabilities and retailer relationships, though positioned more in meat than eggs.
• AB Agri (Associated British Foods): Animal nutrition and agri-services arm of ABF operating UK and EU feed mills and protein supply chains. Comparable to Fridays' UFAS-accredited in-house feed mill and integrated protein/egg model, though at much broader scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fridays-limited

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Fridays