COMMENTS MADE

• On The Chadwick Family's Emporium of Fine Foods:

  Posted on 5th of July 2007

  I would like to second all the comments below regarding the quality of the food – in particular the meat – provided by Chadwicks. Can anyone out there find an independent food retailer in the UK – or anywhere else for that matter – that has developed its own small abattoir, cutting room, food hall, and café bar/restaurant, all on one site? If you can, then you can bet your last penny it was done first by Chadwicks. However, my reason for nominating this retailer is not just because of the food it serves. It’s because of the services to the Meat Industry that Mr Chadwick has offered over the past 10 years – which very few people know about. In 1998, concerned over the failure of existing Meat Industry organisations to represent the interests of small abattoirs, Mr Chadwick founded the Small Abattoir Federation (SAFe). Unlike many organisations that collect subscriptions from their members in order to pay salaries to their representatives, SAFe does not – it is entirely voluntary. Mr Chadwick refuses to be paid for any of the work he undertakes on behalf of small abattoirs. He has worked tirelessly for safeguarding the interests of small abattoirs, and was pivotal in ensuring that the campaign to change the charging structure for meat hygiene inspection (i.e. Headage Rate) was successful – often meeting with MPs and government ministers to ensure the changes necessary to guarantee the survival of small abattoirs were implemented. The government has acknowledged his expertise, and in 1999 Mr Chadwick was invited to sit on the Meat Hygiene Service Industry Forum. His opinions are sought when legislation, which will affect the Meat Industry, is being drafted. In 2002, Mr Chadwick was asked to sit on the Meat Hygiene Policy Forum, which meets on a quarterly basis. He uses every opportunity available to him to ensure that he gives the owners of small abattoirs a public voice. Mr Chadwick’s contribution has saved many small abattoirs from closing, as the changes to the charging structure have allowed them to continue to operate. Mr Chadwick also provides free expert advice on any problem a small abattoir owner may be facing in running his business and/or complying with legislation – something that many members of SAFe have taken advantage of. This retailer – and in particular Mr Chadwick – is a Food Hero. Period.