Blackwell and Co - Master Butchers and Curers

What Blackwell and Co - Master Butchers and Curers does

Blackwell and Co. (legal entity Direct Meats (Knights Farm) Ltd) is a UK-based family-owned specialist meat processor and curer headquartered at Knights Farm, Chappel, Essex. Founded in 1995 by third-generation farmer Martin Blackwell as Direct Meats and rebranded to Blackwell & Co. in November 2024, the company operates from a single manufacturing site in the Colne Valley with 33 employees, including 20 in-house butchers, plus departments covering packing, curing, charcuterie, sales, and distribution. Its core activities span three integrated revenue streams: wholesale supply of premium meat products (dry-aged beef and pork aged 28-60 days, cured bacons and hams, sausages, burgers, and cooked products), contract curing and white-label manufacturing for brands such as Fortnum & Mason, COOK Kitchen, Oberoi Hotels, Serious Pig, and EMBER Snacks, and international export to 17+ countries via dedicated channel partners.

The company's technical foundation rests on specialised processing infrastructure: dry ageing rooms maintaining 1-2°C with 75-80% humidity control and ultraviolet lighting to eliminate bacteria; Italian-designed curing chambers for artisanal British charcuterie (the Dingley Dell Cured range); CO2 preservation packaging for burger and sausage lines; and a biomass boiler reducing carbon footprint by approximately 180.5 tonnes annually. A proprietary bespoke order management system provides full traceability from farm to plate, personalised customer codes, multi-currency invoicing, and translations. Sourcing is anchored by long-standing farm partnerships, most notably Dingley Dell Pork (since 1999) which produces the unique Suffolk Red breed (75% Red Duroc, 25% Landrace), plus Creedy Carver (free-range duck and chicken), Earl-Stonham Wagyu, Trenchmore (Sussex Wagyu), Ben Rigby Game, and licensed Japanese Kagoshima Wagyu and Kobe Beef.

Blackwell and Co. operates a multi-channel go-to-market combining direct daily delivery via an owned Euro-6 fleet across London and the South East, four third-party UK distributors for nationwide coverage, and thirteen named international distribution partners across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the Caribbean. Commercial customers include Michelin-starred restaurants (Gordon Ramsay, CUT by Wolfgang Puck, Sushi Samba), luxury retailers (Fortnum & Mason), hotel groups (Oberoi), and consumer food brands (COOK, Serious Pig, EMBER Snacks). The company is wholly family-owned by Martin and Linda Blackwell with both sons involved in operations, has held SALSA and Halal certifications, and has been awarded both the Queen's Award for Enterprise International Trade (2020) and the King's Award (2024). Revenue is not publicly disclosed and the company has no external institutional investors.

Name

Blackwell and Co - Master Butchers and Curers

Legal name

Direct Meats (Knights Farm) Ltd

Website

https://blackwellandco.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Blackwell and Co. is a UK family-owned specialist meat processor and curer supplying dry-aged beef, cured pork, and artisanal charcuterie to Michelin-starred restaurants, luxury retailers, hospitality groups, and contract-manufacturing brand partners in 17+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Meat Products

NAICS

Meat and Meat Product Merchant Wholesalers (424470)

SIC

Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013)

akta.pro primary industry

Cured Meats (Dry-Cured, Wet-Cured, Hams, Bacon) (AFANAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sausage & Ground Pork Manufacturing (Fresh & Cooked) (AFANABAF), Pork Further Processing (Cured, Smoked, Ham, Bacon) (AFANABAE), Pork Wholesale (Primal/Subprimal, Boxed Pork) (AFAIADAB)

Keywords

• Premium meat products
• Dry aged beef
• Artisanal charcuterie
• Meat curing services
• Contract butchery

Headquarters

HQ city

Chappel

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Meat Products: Sale of premium meat products (dry-aged beef, pork, lamb, game) to restaurants, hotels, wholesalers, and retailers. Direct B2B sales with own delivery fleet and through distribution partners.
2. Contract Curing and Manufacturing: Bespoke curing and product development services for wholesale customers and brands. Creates custom products for clients including Fortnum & Mason, Serious Pig, EMBER Snacks, COOK Kitchen, Oberoi Hotels, Highland Wagyu, Helen Browning, and Dukes Hill.
3. Dingley Dell Charcuterie: Artisan charcuterie products including Coppa, Lomo, Bresaola, Prosciutto, Chorizo, Salami, Pancetta, Nduja sold under the Dingley Dell Cured partnership brand.
4. International Export: Products exported to over 17 countries globally via air and sea freight, with dedicated international distribution partners in Dubai, Sweden, Singapore, Hong Kong, and other markets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Blackwell & Co. is a UK family-owned specialist meat processor and curer that produces premium dry-aged beef, dry-aged Dingley Dell pork, artisanal charcuterie, cured bacons/gammons/hams, bespoke butchery cuts, cooked products, and burgers/sausages for B2B clients including Michelin-star restaurants, hotels, wholesalers, retailers, and branded food companies. The company also offers contract curing and bespoke product development for wholesale brand customers, exporting its products to 17+ countries worldwide.

Product overview

Blackwell & Co is a multi-award winning family business (King's Award 2024, Queen's Award 2020) offering premium meat products including Dry Aged Beef (Dedham Vale), Dry Aged Dingley Dell Pork, artisanal Dingley Dell Charcuterie (fermented sausages and air-dried cuts), cured pork products (bacons, gammons, hams), bespoke butchery services, cooked ready-to-eat products, and premium burgers and sausages. The company operates farm partnerships including Dingley Dell Pork (Suffolk Red breed), Creedy Carver (free-range duck/chicken), Earl-Stonham Wagyu, Trenchmore (Sussex Wagyu), Ben Rigby Game, Japanese Wagyu/Kobe Beef, and specialist beef ranges. Services include contract curing for wholesale customers and international distribution to over 17 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dingley Dell Cured: Partnership with Dingley Dell Pork creating artisan range of fermented sausages and air-dried whole muscle cuts using Suffolk Red breed pigs.

Products and services

• Dry Aged Beef (Dedham Vale) Premium dry-aged beef sourced from UK and Ireland, including rib-eye, sirloin, rump, T-bone, tomahawk, and brisket cuts. Dry-aged for 28-30 days in specialist rooms at 1-2°C with 75-80% humidity and ultraviolet lighting for enhanced tenderness and flavour.
• Dry Aged Dingley Dell Pork Premium dry-aged pork from Dingley Dell's Suffolk Red breed (75% Red Duroc, 25% Landrace), dry-aged for 30-60 days. Includes rib-eye steaks, pork chops, cutlets, T-bones, and bone-in loins.
• Dingley Dell Charcuterie Artisan range of fermented sausages and air-dried whole muscle cuts created in partnership with Dingley Dell Pork. Products include Coppa (Albion), Lomo (Guillinbursti), Bresaola (Boadicea), Prosciutto (Cerrunos), Chorizo (Elidure), Kabanosy (Konnica), Milano Salami (Moccus), Saucisson (Su), Cacciatore (Essus), Pancetta (Artio), Nduja (Nuada), and Felino Salami (Iceni).
• Cured Pork (Bacons, Gammons, Hams) Hand-butchered artisan bacons, gammons, and hams cured using traditional British recipes with juniper berries and cracked black pepper. Includes dry cure and Wiltshire cure methods applied in dedicated on-site curing rooms.
• Bespoke Butchery Traditional artisan butchery service with 20 in-house butchers carving each cut by hand to specific client specifications. Covers beef, pork, lamb, and game with cuts including steaks, chops, fillets, and roasting joints.
• Cooked Products Ready-to-eat cooked products including Dingley Dell Ham, Frankfurter, Kaiserkrainer, Confit Duck Leg, and Homemade Cooked Salt Beef. Smoked or cooked in dedicated cooking and smoking facilities with a High Risk Cooked Area.
• Burgers & Sausages Premium burgers composed of hand-selected rib and steak cuts, including grass-fed beef burgers and Dingley Dell Bavarian-style pork burgers. Sausages include Cumberland pork sausages, lamb Merguez, and beef sausages with 85% meat to 15% fat ratio. Packaged with CO2 for preservation and distributed internationally to Dubai, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
• Contract Curing and Product Development Bespoke curing service for wholesale customers including product development, production, and packaging tailored to specific needs. Partners include Fortnum & Mason, Serious Pig, EMBER Snacks, COOK Kitchen, Oberoi Hotels, Highland Wagyu, Helen Browning, and Dukes Hill.

Quantifiable outcome

• 180.5 tonnes CO2 reduction per year through biomass boiler
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Market Field CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Project started in 2018 focusing on young adults with autism. Offers two-year work experience schemes with aim to offer full-time employment or valuable experience to those needing supportive workplace in the meat industry.
• Dingley Dell PorkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1999Long-standing partnership with family farming business based on East Coast of Suffolk. Produces superb, higher marbled welfare-friendly pork with provenance outdoors from unique Red Duroc-based herd (Suffolk Red breed - 75% Red Duroc, 25% Landrace). Created Dingley Dell Cured charcuterie brand together. Share commitment to sustainability including Million Bee Project.
• Ben Rigby GameminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1979UK's premier game dealer sourcing best quality game from Britain's finest estates, parks and forests. Established in 1979. On-site processing to uphold high standards. Full traceability with all national parks.
• Mark and Paul Hayward (Dingley Dell)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrothers Mark and Paul Hayward established Dingley Dell Pork in 1999. They developed the unique Suffolk Red breed with focus on enhancing intramuscular fat. Acknowledged by Compassion in World Farming for animal welfare standards.
• ADiRECTcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership enabling Blackwell & Co. to source Wagyu directly from Kagoshima, Japan, from two select farms. Supplies Kagoshima Wagyu to top London restaurants including Wolfgang Puck's CUT and Sushi Samba.
• Creedy CarverminorStrategic or Co-development Partner4th generation Devon farm producing finest free range duck and chicken. Peking ducks renowned for taste. Awarded Best of British by 10 Downing Street. Sustainability projects including lake for wildlife.
• Earl-Stonham FarmsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner600-acre Suffolk farm producing pure Wagyu beef from herd of 450 cattle. Located just 30 miles from Blackwell & Co. site. Founded by Andrew Deacon with mission to produce fabulous beef. Has been on menu at finest UK restaurants.
• TrenchmoreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustainably raises slow-grown, grass-fed Sussex Wagyu cattle. Cattle graze on pastures improving soil health. Diet includes brewers' grains, linseed cake, and apple pomace - by-products from human food production. Reduces artificial fertiliser use.
• Colchester Institute, University of East Anglia, Harper Adams UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation partnerships offering internships, work placements and in-course projects for students. Part of commitment to training and development.
• M.E.A.T IpswichcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNational Training Organisation with over 35 years' experience delivering high quality training in fresh food and meat industry. Delivers Levels 1, 2 and 3 accredited butchery qualifications including certificates, awards, apprenticeships, food safety and hygiene, HACCP and nutrition training.
• A Passion to InspireminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgramme building partnerships to develop and inspire young chefs and lecturers, bridging education, industry and producers. Martin Blackwell and team have supported since the start, donating produce for events raising over £200,000 for Teenage Cancer Trust and NSPCC.
• Chef2ChefcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational distribution partner for Dubai and Maldives markets. Located at Ras Al Khar Industrial 3, Dubai.
• Martin & ServeracoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSwedish distribution partner headquartered in Stockholm. Enables Blackwell & Co. products to reach Swedish market.
• ADirect SingaporecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSingapore distribution partner at Foodaxis@Senoko. Part of international expansion strategy.
• Elite (Hong Kong)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHong Kong distribution partner enabling access to Asian market.
• JC Rook & SonsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party UK distribution partner covering parts of the UK outside direct delivery catchment.
• Brook Street Foods LimitedminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party UK distribution partner based in Ipswich.
• Albion Fine FoodsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party UK distribution partner based in Tonbridge.
• Creation DistributionminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party UK distribution partner covering Crediton area.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Turner & George: Online-first premium butcher specialising in rare-breed beef, Wagyu, and dry-aged cuts for chefs and home customers. Comparable breed-led provenance story and premium niche targeting.
• Donald Russell: Scottish premium meat company with mail-order and wholesale channels, dry-aged beef heritage, and international shipping. Similar premium positioning and direct-to-end-customer distribution model.
• Ginger Pig: Premium London-based butcher and meat supplier serving top restaurants and direct consumers. Highly comparable niche, breed-led sourcing, dry-aged beef range, and B2B/B2C hybrid model.
• Walter Rose & Son: Fourth-generation Devizes butcher supplying restaurants and consumers with artisanal cured meats, sausages, and game. Comparable traditional curing capability, restaurant supply focus, and family ownership.
• Aubrey Allen: Leamington Spa-based premium catering butcher supplying Michelin-starred UK restaurants, hotels, and event caterers. Directly comparable target customer, provenance-led positioning, and UK wholesale meat model.
• Tom Hixson: Smithfield-based specialist meat supplier offering premium Wagyu, dry-aged beef, and rare breeds to UK chefs and home consumers. Comparable breed/exclusivity narrative and restaurant/wholesale go-to-market.

Regional players

• D'Artagnan: US premium meat and charcuterie supplier serving Michelin-starred restaurants and luxury hospitality with organic, heritage-breed focus. Comparable breed-led, restaurant-first premium meat model, but operates primarily in North America rather than UK/EU.

Broad incumbents

• Hilton Food Group: UK-listed multi-protein packer supplying major retailers globally. Overlaps meat processing and B2B distribution but operates at industrial scale without Blackwell & Co.'s artisanal/cured-meat specialism.
• Cranswick: UK-listed pork and processed-meat manufacturer with significant cured and cooked product lines. Competes in overlapping product categories (sausages, cooked meats, bacon) but at industrial scale and via mainstream grocery rather than fine dining.

Emerging players

• Daylesford: Organic farm shop and farm-to-table retailer with in-house meat counter and charcuterie. Overlapping sustainability narrative, provenance positioning, and premium UK farm partnerships, but stronger retail than wholesale focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/blackwell.and.co
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/blackwellandco

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Blackwell and Co - Master Butchers and Curers