The Country Victualler
The Country Victualler is a family-run Nottinghamshire-based artisan butcher and baker (est. 1973, 5 employees) selling handcrafted British hams, meats, pâtés, and gift hampers direct-to-consumer via a nopCommerce e-commerce site with nationwide DPD delivery, also supplying Harrods, Fortnum & Mason, and Partridges.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1973
- HeadquartersNottinghamshire, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What The Country Victualler does
The Country Victualler is a family-run artisanal British butcher and baker established in 1973, headquartered and producing in Nottinghamshire, England. The company operates as the nation's sole producer of the Alderton Marmalade Glazed Ham — a multi-generational recipe created by Colonel Dickinson — alongside a broad portfolio spanning handcrafted hams, pâtés and terrines, Red Tractor assured beef, poultry, free-range pork from Packington Pork Farm, naturally reared lamb, dry-cured bacon, sausage rolls, pork pies, pastry purses, Wellingtons, scotch eggs, gift hampers, and a curated pantry range (sauces, wines, craft gin and ale). Production is small-scale, made-to-order by hand, with a headcount of 5 employees.
The company monetizes primarily through direct-to-consumer e-commerce on a nopCommerce-powered website, offering next-day DPD delivery across UK mainland and in-store collection. Pricing is unit-based across SKUs (£2.99 craft beers to £100 gift cards), with gift hampers at £75 and a £6.95 standard delivery charge. Secondary wholesale distribution runs through prestige channel partners — Harrods, Fortnum & Mason, Partridges of Sloane Street, DukesHill — and event supply (Wimbledon), supported by partnerships with Donald Russell, Field & Flower, Forman & Field, Inverawe Smoke House, MacFarlanes Fromagerie, and British Fine Foods. No API, app, or proprietary technology platform is operated.
Customer segments are split between premium consumer/gift buyers (affluent home and corporate gifting, Christmas hampers, special occasion dining) and luxury retailers/food service. Marketing relies on the e-commerce site, email newsletter, and Trustpilot reviews; credentials include Red Tractor and RSPCA certifications, Guild of Fine Food membership, multiple Great Taste Awards, and a 2024 National Craft Butchers Gold for Dry Cured Streaky Bacon. The business is privately held by the founding family with no disclosed institutional investment.
The Country Victualler firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Country Victualler
- Legal name
- The Country Victualler
- Website
- https://thecountryvictualler.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1973
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Country Victualler is a family-run Nottinghamshire-based artisan butcher and baker (est. 1973, 5 employees) selling handcrafted British hams, meats, pâtés, and gift hampers direct-to-consumer via a nopCommerce e-commerce site with nationwide DPD delivery, also supplying Harrods, Fortnum & Mason, and Partridges.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Country Victualler industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Artisan British Foods
- NAICS
- Animal Slaughtering and Processing (3116), Meat Retailers (445240), Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing (3118)
- SIC
- Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013), Bakery Products (2050)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cured Meats (Dry-Cured, Wet-Cured, Hams, Bacon) (AFANAEAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Specialty Food Gift Shops & Hampers (CRAHAGAN), Artisan & Specialty Bakeries (Sourdough, Heritage Grains) (THAFAFAD)
Keywords
Where The Country Victualler is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Nottinghamshire
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
The Country Victualler business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- E-commerce Product Sales: Direct-to-consumer online sales of artisan British food products including fresh meat, hams, pâtés, bakery items, pies, sausages, and delicatessen products. Customers purchase through the company's nopCommerce website with next-day DPD delivery.
- Gift Cards: Electronic gift cards sold in denominations of £40, £50, and £100, redeemable online for future purchases.
- Hamper and Gift Box Sales: Pre-packaged gift hampers including the Taste of The Country Victualler Hamper at £75, sold for gifting occasions and corporate clients.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Electronic Gift Cards in £40, £50, and £100 denominations |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Curated meat packs and hampers |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Alderton Ham products in various sizes |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Sauces and stocks |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Wines, spirits and beers |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Premium steaks and beef cuts |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Bacon products - award winning |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
The Country Victualler product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Country Victualler produces and sells artisan British food products directly to consumers via its e-commerce website, with nationwide DPD next-day delivery. Core offerings span the Alderton Marmalade Glazed Ham (which it is the sole producer of), pâtés and terrines, premium Red Tractor assured beef, free-range pork, naturally reared lamb, farm-assured poultry, award-winning dry-cured bacon, handmade pork pies, in-house puff pastry purses, sausage rolls, scotch eggs, and curated gift hampers.
Product overview
The Country Victualler is an artisanal British food producer and retailer operating since 1973 from Nottinghamshire. The company offers a unified portfolio of handcrafted food products organized across five core categories: Signature products (award-winning Alderton Marmalade Glazed Ham and artisanal pâtés), Artisan Butchery (premium Red Tractor assured British beef, free-range pork from Packington Pork Farm, naturally reared lamb, and farm-assured poultry), Bakery (handmade pork pies, pastry purses, Wellington dishes, sausage rolls, scotch eggs, and vegetarian options), and Delicatessen & Pantry (cold smoked meats, sauces, gravies, and curated wines and spirits). The company also provides sustainable Woolcool wool-lined packaging for nationwide delivery. Everything is made to order by hand using traditional recipes and skills, with a focus on high-welfare ingredients and quality provenance.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Signature Hams (Alderton Marmalade Glazed Ham) Artisan British hams including the multi-award-winning Alderton Marmalade Glazed Ham (Rick Stein Food Hero), steamed and baked with a traditional marmalade glaze to a secret recipe. Available in Baby Ham (min 500g, serves 5-8) starting at GBP 22.00, Mini Ham, Half Boneless Ham, and Whole Boneless Ham sizes.
- Pâté & Terrines
Quantifiable outcome
- Award-winning products including National Craft Butchers Gold Winner 2024 for Dry Cured Streaky Bacon
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The Country Victualler
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Country Victualler technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
The Country Victualler partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- HarrodscoreThe Country Victualler supplies products to Harrods, the world's greatest food emporium. Their products are stocked alongside other premium British artisan foods in Harrods' historic Food Halls.
- Fortnum & MasoncoreThe Country Victualler supplies Alderton Hams to Fortnum & Mason, the prestigious Piccadilly establishment founded in 1707, known for extraordinary food and exceptional service.
- Partridges of Sloane StreetcoreThe Country Victualler has supplied Alderton Hams to Partridges of Sloane Street since their opening in 1973. Partridges holds a Royal Warrant by Appointment to HM The Queen since 1994.
- JnrChefminorJnrChef is a hands-on food education programme designed to inspire young people to cook. The Country Victualler is pleased to support their work as a trusted meat supplier, sharing a commitment to quality sourcing and traditional food values.
- DukesHill Food CompanyminorMentioned as one of the respected partners alongside Harrods, Junior Chef, and Fortnum & Mason where The Country Victualler products can be found.
- Field & FlowerminorField & Flower delivers grass-fed beef directly to homes across the UK. Listed as a partner supplier/distributor relationship.
- Forman & FieldminorPart of H. Forman & Son, a family-run smoked salmon business dating back to the 19th century. Supplies bespoke gourmet-quality dishes alongside Country Victualler products.
- Inverawe Smoke HouseminorTraditional smokehouse based in Argyll, Scotland, producing authentic oak-smoked fish. Listed as a partner supplying premium smoked products.
- MacFarlanes FromagerieminorArtisan cheese shop founded in 1998 in London's Abbeville Village. Originally a cheese shop that has developed into a diverse delicatessen of exceptional quality.
- British Fine FoodsminorPlatform set up to help support the best British artisan producers and make their products available to customers across the country.
- Donald RussellminorPremium supplier of beef, lamb, pork and more to the world's top restaurants and luxury hotels. Listed as a partner with a shared focus on quality British meat.
- Packington Pork FarmcoreSupplier of free-range pork used by The Country Victualler. Represents commitment to high-welfare, quality-sourced ingredients.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Country Victualler competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Farmison & Co: Online UK butcher specialising in heritage-breed, high-welfare meat boxes and individual cuts. Comparable premium D2C meat positioning and supply-chain narrative.
- Field & Flower: UK D2C grass-fed and free-range meat delivery brand with a similar artisan-butcher narrative and online-only gifting proposition. Listed as a partner/supplier relationship in the source data.
- Pipers Farm: Devon-based sustainable, heritage-breed meat producer selling direct to UK consumers with a strong storytelling and provenance-led brand. Highly comparable artisan D2C positioning.
- Donald Russell: Established UK mail-order premium butcher supplying high-end cuts, hams, and gourmet items direct to consumers and top restaurants. Highly comparable business model, premium positioning, and customer overlap (noted as a partner in The Country Victualler's data).
- The Well Hung Meat Company: UK artisan online butcher focused on dry-aged and free-range meat. Direct competitor for premium D2C meat customers with a similarly hands-on production narrative.
- Daylesford: Premium organic farm shop and online food retailer offering artisan meats, bakery, hampers, and pantry lines to affluent UK consumers. Comparable multi-category premium artisan positioning.
- H. Forman & Son / Forman & Field: Family-run London-based gourmet producer and D2C retailer known for smoked salmon and curated premium British foods. Listed as a partner in the data and overlaps in gifting/premium positioning.
- The Hampshire Meat Company: South England-based artisan butcher and online retailer with hampers, pies, and cured meats. Closely comparable heritage butcher-D2C model with overlapping product lines.
- DukesHill Food Company: UK premium mail-order meat and gourmet hamper company offering dry-cured hams, bacon, sausages, and gift ranges. Closely mirrors The Country Victualler's core assortment and channel mix.
Broad incumbents
- Fortnum & Mason: Iconic London luxury food retailer and hampers business. Functions as both customer (stocks Alderton Hams) and a broader incumbent whose in-house hams, pâtés, and gifting overlap with The Country Victualler's assortment.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Country Victualler social profiles
Digital presenceThe Country Victualler compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
The Country Victualler financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Country Victualler leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The Country Victualler funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Country Victualler M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Country Victualler
What does The Country Victualler do?
The Country Victualler produces and sells artisan British food products directly to consumers via its e-commerce website, with nationwide DPD next-day delivery. Core offerings span the Alderton Marmalade Glazed Ham (which it is the sole producer of), pâtés and terrines, premium Red Tractor assured beef, free-range pork, naturally reared lamb, farm-assured poultry, award-winning dry-cured bacon, handmade pork pies, in-house puff pastry purses, sausage rolls, scotch eggs, and curated gift hampers.
Is The Country Victualler a public or private company?
The Country Victualler is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was The Country Victualler founded?
The Country Victualler was founded in 1973. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Country Victualler based?
The Country Victualler is headquartered in Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The Country Victualler make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. E-commerce Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are gift Cards and hamper and Gift Box Sales.
Who are The Country Victualler's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Farmison & Co, Field & Flower, Pipers Farm, Donald Russell, The Well Hung Meat Company, Daylesford, H. Forman & Son / Forman & Field, The Hampshire Meat Company and DukesHill Food Company. Fortnum & Mason is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does The Country Victualler have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Country Victualler.
What industry is The Country Victualler in?
The Country Victualler's product category is Artisan British Foods. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFANAEAA, Cured Meats (Dry-Cured, Wet-Cured, Hams, Bacon), with a secondary code of CRAHAGAN, Specialty Food Gift Shops & Hampers. Its NAICS code is 3116 and its SIC code is 2013.