Leonards Ingredients

What Leonards Ingredients does

Leonards Ingredients (legal entity D. Leonard & Co) is a second-generation, family-run British food ingredients manufacturer headquartered in Uckfield, East Sussex, established in the 1980s. The company produces ambient dry seasoning blends, complete sausage mixes (65% and 80% meat content), burger and kebab seasonings, glazes, decorative coaters, and stuffing mixes, alongside a specialised gluten-free range exceeding 40 SKUs. Its technology is rooted in complete-mix formulation (just add meat and water), BRCGS AA-certified manufacturing with barcoded traceability, in-house allergen testing, and bespoke R&D, rather than software or digital platforms.

The business operates three revenue streams: sale of proprietary seasonings through a UK stockist network (Weschenfelder Direct, Dalziel chain, Scobies & Junior NI, and regional butcher suppliers); a bespoke blending service with a 30kg minimum order quantity, free sampling, and in-house R&D (representing 55% of production); and a contract blending service offering full outsourced manufacturing from intake to dispatch, including pet supplement and nutraceutical capabilities. Pricing is uniformly quote-based, and the firm is entirely privately held with no external investors, parent company, or public listing. Distribution is domestic (UK only) and the customer mix spans independent butchers and farm shops (SMB), mid-market food manufacturers, and a small set of long-tenured enterprise accounts such as Walter Rose & Son (25+ years) and Cheeky Foods (since 2015). The company markets through content (blog, YouTube, newsletter), trade shows such as Plumpton, and stockist enablement assets including co-branded copy, images, and social posts.

Name

Leonards Ingredients

Legal name

D. Leonard & Co

Website

https://leonards.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Leonards Ingredients is a second-generation, family-run UK manufacturer of seasoning blends, complete sausage and burger mixes, glazes, and stuffings, supplying independent butchers, food manufacturers, and nutraceutical/pet supplement clients through stockists, bespoke blending, and contract manufacturing services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Ingredient Manufacturing

NAICS

Seasoning and Dressing Manufacturing (31194), Food Manufacturing (311), Animal Food Manufacturing (3111)

SIC

Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Ingredient Blends & Systems / Custom Formulation (Seasoning Systems, Functional Blends) (CRADAOAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Spice Blends & Seasoning Mixes (Dry Rubs, Marinade Mixes) (AFAJANAD), Functional Foods & Supplement Formats (Gummies, Chews, Powders, Shots) (CRADAGAI)

Keywords

• Seasoning blends
• Complete food mixes
• Bespoke blending services
• Contract manufacturing
• Gluten-free products

Headquarters

HQ city

Uckfield

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, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Seasoning and Blend Product Sales: Sale of pre-formulated seasoning mixes, sausage blends, burger seasonings, glazes, decorative crumbs, and stuffing mixes through stockist network and direct channels
2. Bespoke Blending Services: Custom formulation and manufacturing of ingredient blends to customer specifications, with 30kg minimum order quantity, free sampling, and in-house R&D support
3. Contract Blending Services: Full-service contract manufacturing for ambient dry ingredients, including customer-provided ingredients, blending, labeling, and dispatch. Offers pet supplement registration capabilities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Leonards Ingredients manufactures and supplies complete seasoning mixes, sausage and burger blends, kebab seasonings, glazes, decorative coaters, and stuffing mixes for the butchery, food manufacturing, nutraceutical, and pet supplement markets. Customers use the products by simply adding meat and water to the mix. The company also offers bespoke blending (custom formulation with 30kg MOQ, free sampling and in-house R&D support) and contract blending (outsourced intake, blending, labeling, dispatch, with pet supplement registration capabilities).

Product overview

Leonards Ingredients is a second-generation, family-run British food ingredients company specialising in seasonings, complete food ingredient mixes, and versatile blends for butchers, food manufacturers, and the nutraceutical and pet supplement markets. Their portfolio is organised across distinct product ranges: the award-winning Gourmet 65% Range (65% meat content sausage mixes), Gourmet 80's Range (80% premium meat content sausage mixes), comprehensive Gluten Free Range (sausages, burgers, stuffings, and glazes), Gourmet Burger Mixes, Gourmet Kebabs, and Glazes & Decorative Coatings. Core heritage products include Old English Sausage Mix (multi-award winning for 20+ years), Lamburger Mix, and Original Spicy Kebab (the OG product that started the company 35+ years ago). The company complements its product sales with two service offerings: Bespoke Blending (custom formulation with 30kg MOQ, free sampling, and in-house R&D) and Contract Blending (full outsourced manufacturing with BRCGS AA certification and pet supplement registration). Products are distributed through a national network of stockists including butchers, food machinery suppliers, and packaging companies. The company dispatches standard orders within 10 working days guaranteed.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Gourmet 65% Sausage Range Range of complete sausage mixes with 65% meat content for butchers and food manufacturers; just add meat and water to produce.
• Gourmet 80% Sausage Range Premium complete sausage mixes with 80% meat content for showcasing higher-quality meats; just add meat and water.
• Gluten Free Sausage Mixes Wide range of gluten-free complete sausage mixes suitable for coeliacs; just add meat and water.
• Gourmet Burger Mixes Multi-award winning complete burger mixes across multiple proteins and flavour profiles for butchers and manufacturers.
• Gluten Free Burger & Kebab Mixes Gluten-free burger and kebab seasoning mixes with the same flavour quality as the standard range, suitable for coeliacs; just add meat and water.
• Gourmet Kebab Seasoning Mixes Kebab seasoning blends for professional butchers, including the Original Spicy Kebab that started the company over 35 years ago.
• Glazes and Decorative Coatings Glazes and decorative crumb coatings used to add visual appeal and flavour to value-added meat products; all glazes are gluten-free as standard.
• Stuffing Mixes Stuffing mixes in standard, gluten-free, and gourmet variants; just add hot water.
• Old English Sausage Mix Multi-award winning heritage sausage mix with pepper, herbs and onion; flagship legacy product.
• Lamburger Mix Multi-award winning lamb burger mix balancing spice with gentle fresh mint; part of the heritage range.
• Original Spicy Kebab Mix Original kebab seasoning blend that started the company over 35 years ago; tongue-tingling with depth of flavour.
• Gluten Free Teriyaki Burger Mix Gluten-free burger mix with sweet, savoury and salty balance plus notes of ginger and garlic, suitable for coeliacs.
• Gluten Free Tomato Sausage Mix Gluten-free sausage mix designed to taste like tomato ketchup with high tomato content for colour and flavour.
• Hot Honey Sausage Mix (Limited Edition Summer 2025) Limited edition Summer 2025 sausage mix combining rich honey sweetness with warm chilli kick, designed for BBQs, sausage rolls, and gourmet hot dogs.
• Buffalo Glaze Bold and tangy glaze inspired by classic American buffalo flavour with heat, vinegar sharpness, and subtle sweetness for wings, burgers, and coated meats.
• Caramelised Onion Sausage Mix Sausage mix originally launched as a limited edition then promoted to permanent line after sustained popularity.
• Peking Glaze Glaze combining star anise with other spices to deliver rich red colour and distinctive flavour profile; gluten-free as standard.
• Gluten Free Stuffing Mixes Range of simple-to-use gluten-free stuffing mixes for coeliac products; just add hot water.
• Bespoke Blending Service Custom blending service creating products from existing specifications, customer samples, or new development, with free sampling, BRCGS certified facilities, 30kg minimum order quantity, and in-house R&D support.
• Contract Blending Service Outsourced ambient product manufacturing including intake checking, blending, labeling, and dispatch, with BRCGS AA certified facilities, pet supplement registration, batch sizes from 30kg to multiple tonnes, and full traceability.
• Stockist Network & Become a Stockist Programme UK-wide authorised distribution network of stockists including butchers, food machinery suppliers, and packaging companies; partner programme provides marketing assets, training, and product copy.

Quantifiable outcome

• 55% of production is bespoke formulations
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Weschenfelder DirectcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLong-term stockist and distribution partner serving the sausage making market since 1921. The Weschenfelder family began in 1898 and now supplies equipment, casings, seasonings and expertise to home and professional users worldwide. Expanded from 50 to 150+ product mixes with Leonards, offering fast turnaround and bespoke products.
• Cheeky FoodscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerContract blending customer since 2015, producing all-natural condiments. Leonards handles manufacturing allowing Cheeky Foods to focus on other business aspects. MD Swati Biwal testimonials highlight understanding of small business operations and reliable manufacturing support.
• Dalziel GroupminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChain of stockist locations including Dalziel Ltd, Dalziel FIS, Dalziel Haverhill, and Dalziel Newport serving the butchery trade across the UK.
• The Highland Hill LarderminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLicensed venison dealer using Leonards seasoning mixes for venison sausage and burger products. Provides customer testimonials on product quality and texture performance.
• Scobies & Junior NIminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNorthern Ireland-based stockist serving the butchery market in the region.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Givaudan: World's largest flavour and fragrance house. Operates in adjacent seasoning and flavour categories for food manufacturers but is focused on proprietary flavour creation rather than dry-blend seasoning systems for end users.
• McCormick & Company: Global leader in spices, seasonings, and flavours with multibillion-dollar revenue. Operates overlapping dry-blend and seasoning product categories but at massive scale; competition is broad rather than head-to-head for small bespoke accounts.
• Kerry Group: Global taste and nutrition company (Ireland-based) operating across seasonings, flavours, and functional ingredients. Overlaps with Leonards in B2B food manufacturer seasoning supply but at enterprise scale with technology-driven proposition.
• IFF (International Flavors & Fragrances): Global ingredient supplier with a dedicated Taste segment producing flavours and seasoning systems for food manufacturers. Overlaps with Leonards on B2B seasoning supply but at enterprise scale with proprietary technology platforms.
• Symrise: Global flavour and nutrition company with a dedicated Taste, Nutrition & Health segment. Comparable in seasoning and flavour blends serving food manufacturers, but at vastly larger scale and broader global footprint.

Direct peers

• Hartshorne Group: UK-based spice, herb, and seasoning merchant and blender serving butchery and food manufacturing customers. Closest UK direct peer to Leonards given overlapping product mix (sausage, burger, seasoning blends) and customer base (independent butchers and food manufacturers).
• Middleton Foods: UK food ingredient manufacturer offering seasoning blends, functional blends, and ambient dry mixes for butcher, bakery, and food manufacturer customers. Directly comparable in product format (dry blends) and B2B customer profile.
• Britannia Food Ingredients: UK-based supplier of seasonings, functional blends, and ingredient systems to food manufacturers and food service. Comparable in custom formulation and B2B dry-blend manufacturing capabilities.
• Sleaford Quality Foods: UK food ingredient manufacturer (now part of AAK) producing bespoke seasoning blends, spices, and functional ingredients for food manufacturers and foodservice. Comparable in bespoke blending capability and UK butchery/food service channel overlap.
• Kent Foods: UK food service ingredient supplier offering seasonings, sauces, and ambient dry blends. Comparable in product format and UK foodservice/butchery customer segments, with overlapping bespoke and branded solutions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@leonardsingredients
• Xx.com/leonardsuk
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/leonards-ingredients

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Leonards Ingredients