I was the strength and weakness of my business
Cumbrian finalist of the NFU National Farming Awards 2006 explains how McDonalds assisted him in expanding his free range egg venture
The Lakes Free Range Egg Company, based in Stainton which is near to Penrith in Cumbria, has been entered by owner David Brass into the NFU endorsed National Farming Awards 2006 under the 'Best business development in the food chain' category.
David, 46, and his wife Helen, who keep free range and organic hens on their 100 acre unit, are the managing directors of The Lakes Free Range Egg Company.
At the moment, 35 surrounding farms also supply eggs to the business and in time, David expects this to grow. There are approximately 200 people working for the company in some capacity and David estimates that the company has 350,000 hens in total, 40,000 of which are on David's personal unit.
The successful franchise that David supplies to and says has really helped move the business in the right direction is none other than McDonalds.
"Working with McDonalds has been very interesting," said David. "You have to be determined. We were talking to McDonalds for three years before we got their business. When they first met me they told me I was the business' greatest strength yet also its biggest weakness. "I had a hand in every single aspect of the business which McDonalds said was fine until I dropped down dead because the business would literally die with me. Therefore they refused to do business with me until I put a proper management team in place.
"It's quite difficult to let go and it has taken three years for me to be comfortable entrusting my baby to somebody else. "I have brought three quality management people into the company who as well as running the company also bring their own new ideas with them. "However I now have a management team that is under utilised which means we will be more proactive in finding new business."
The winners of the NFU endorsed National Farming Awards 2006 will be announced at a evening ceremony on June 27 at London's Burlington Club.
"There are literally dozens of awards in this industry at the moment and to be honest we have never bothered to enter any before," said David, who was in the RAF for 10 years before returning to his family farm. "We have always been entered into awards by other people, mainly our customers so this is the first time that I have actually done it myself. "I entered because it is an NFU and farming award which in my opinion gives it one hell of a lot of prestige."