Cumbria egg producer secures second King's Award for sustainability
One of the UK’s leading free-range egg producers has secured a rare second King’s Award for Sustainable Development, setting it apart as a benchmark for sustainable British egg production.
The Lakes Free Range Egg Company has been formally presented with the award at its packing centre and headquarters in Stainton, Cumbria, following a reception at Windsor Castle last year.
The presentation was made to founders David and Helen Brass and their team, with Cumbria’s Deputy Lieutenants Bryan Gray and Ian Brown representing the Lord Lieutenant.
The King’s Awards for Enterprise mark exceptional achievement by UK businesses and this year marked the 50th anniversary of the honours. Only a small number of companies nationwide are recognised each year, and even fewer receive awards for sustainable development more than once.
David Brass said the scale of the achievement was significant. “Fewer than 200 companies nationwide received awards across four categories this year, and only 27 of those were for sustainable development,” he said.
He described receiving the award for a second time as “a huge accolade to the work of our entire team”, from producer farms through to packing and despatch.
Founded in 1997, The Lakes has built its business around free-range and organic egg production, working with a network of producers and a farming model designed to be profitable, sustainable and replicable.
From the outset, the company believed that planting trees would improve the welfare of free-range hens, taking action well before industry standards were established.
Native trees and shrubs have since been planted on its own ranges and those of its producers, helping to enhance biodiversity and increase the number of species recorded on farms.
Research carried out with universities and partner organisations has shown welfare benefits from tree planting, while more recent bioacoustics work has explored how biodiversity develops as trees mature.
Early findings have identified 79 species across producer farms, including 13 bird species on the official Red List, with some sites recording up to 50 species.
Further studies are also examining how tree planting close to hen housing affects ammonia levels on ranges, with the findings expected to inform future planting strategies.
Presenting the award, Deputy Lieutenant Bryan Gray said the recognition was particularly hard to achieve. “This Sustainable Development Award sets an extremely high bar to achieve,” he said.
He described it as “a very exclusive club” and said receiving the honour for a second time was “a testament to setting exacting standards and pursuing excellence at all times”.
Alongside on-farm initiatives, The Lakes has invested heavily in processing and technology. Its packing station operates with modern equipment and a minimal carbon footprint.
The business also uses a dark brooding system to rear chicks into pullets, which uses 90% less energy than conventional systems, with birds arriving on farms at the point of lay.
Digital innovation has been another focus. Over more than a decade, the company has developed BirdBox, a real-time poultry monitoring system that provides live data and early alerts to producers and their advisers.
Reflecting on the award, Mr Brass said: “Receiving this award at the beginning of 2026 is a welcome boost for our team, particularly at a time when sustainability and British food production are such important issues.”
He added: “We are proud of what we have achieved so far and excited about the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.”
The Lakes said the recognition reflects a long-term approach that combines welfare, environmental management and technology, and sets a benchmark for sustainable egg production in the UK.
