The late Gilbert Oldershaw MBE started Oldershaws of Moulton, the parent company to Moulton Bulb Co. with just a few acres of land but, today, the business has evolved to be one of the largest onion packers in the UK.
Indeed, such is its output that around 25% of the total volume of alliums sold in British supermarkets comes from this one company.
Based near Spalding in verdant Lincolnshire, the Moulton farm starts the season and the output is then boosted by supplies from other allium growers across the length and breadth of the country. To ensure a consistent quality on shelf as well as servicing some of the more niche products such as Elephant Garlic or Supasweet Onions, Moulton then call upon around 40 international growers from around the world.
This farming enterprise not only grows a proportion of the onions and shallots that are sold to the Moulton Bulb Company but also produces brassicas, potatoes, wheat and sugar beet. The farm employs both organic and conventional farming techniques alongside each other on this LEAF-accredited farm.
Robert Oldershaw explains, “Currently as Moulton Bulb Company we predominantly trade with large multiple retailers. However, we have a sister company – Moulton Bulb Imports – that sells direct to wholesale markets using primarily Chilean and Spanish onions. One of the problems we face is that, traditionally, the wholesale market is seen as the dumping ground for crop which is unsuitable for the supermarkets and, consequently, the wholesale market has a poor view of the quality of British onions. As a result, these buyers tend to import onions from Holland and other European countries. We do not agree with this and it is our aim to sell to these customers and to convince them that they have the wrong perception of what a British onion really is! We aim to pick off these markets, starting with the loose brown onions.”
“It is our intention to make the wholesale markets – and hence the customer – realise that British farmers produce very high quality varieties of alliums, certainly the equal to those from abroad, if not better. We are offering high quality products in loose trays, packed to the same standards you would expect in the high street retailers, with the same levels of crop assurances and traceability.”
Bringing new products to market.
As part of this drive, Moulton are launching two new products on to the UK market in September and October. The first is Gilly’s Choice – a brand of allium aimed solely at the wholesale trade. The second is a new retail brand – Instant Ingredients. This is a completely new range of ingredients aimed at the busy housewife and will kick off with whole peeled garlic cloves. Moulton already supply some customers with these to market under their own brand but see this new range as one of the largest growth areas for the business.
Robert explains, “We see this as a major step in our Company’s development programme and could become a significant part of our turnover. We will be singing the benefits of this range extremely loudly as we believe that they will be the only products of their kind on the market. The next addition to the range will be prepared onions – many people have problems in preparing raw onions and we want to take the tears out of this operation.”
One of the problems of supplying these prepared onions is keeping them fresh on the supermarket shelves. Moulton has worked closely with their chosen packaging supplier and as a result, has developed a modified atmosphere packaging that will extend the shelf life by up to three days – a significant factor in retailing. Already two of the country’s leading multiple stores are looking to launch these new products with Moulton in the autumn.
Robert continues, “The majority of our garlic is grown in Spain although we also have some growers in the UK, including in Essex. We are trying to really promote these products as convenience items. We are offering a totally 100% natural product. We are also trying to raise the profile of these products with the ‘scratch’ cooks who don’t have the time or the inclination to spend preparing these key ingredients but still want to feel like they are preparing the meal themselves”
Quality Accreditation
In order to operate successfully in these key food markets, Moulton has invested in the quality of every aspect of its work and in its staff. Moulton is currently accredited by BRC for both its processing and its packaging factories and has achieved “A” Grades in every year in its recent history. Moulton’s own farms are operated in a way that links both the environment and farming in an environmentally friendly way, leading to them attaining LEAF accreditation. The use of organic farming on part of the farm has also resulted in their farm being accredited by the Soil Association for the growing of organic produce.
However, it is not just in the UK that Moulton sets high standards. In order to become a supplier to Moulton Bulb, each grower has to achieve certain standards of farming production, including the reduction in the use of chemicals, ensuring a responsible approach to health and safety for all their workers and a sustainable approach to farming. As a bare minimum, all growers must be Global G.A.P. accredited.
Finally, the Supplier Ethical Data Exchange is a membership organisation for businesses committed to continuous improvement of the ethical performance of their supply chains. Moulton Bulb Co. is part of this scheme.
The Environment Matters
As a business, the Oldershaw Group is a member of the Valpak compliance scheme. The Company also try to recycle as much as possible. All of the packhouse and prepared factory waste is composted and spread back onto the land as a sustainable way of fighting onion disease and fertilising the soil.
Moulton Bulb Company currently employs 250 staff and has a turnover of £40 million. This makes it the largest part of the Oldershaw Group and is an indication of just how far the operation has come since those heady days of 1948 when Gilbert Oldershaw bought his first few acres of land in South Lincolnshire!
For further information please telephone 01406 370380 or visit www.oldershawgroup.co.uk
