Member Article

Chippindale Foods buzzing in the fight to save bees

Yorkshire-based family business Chippindale Foods has teamed up with a leading conservation trust to protect the environment’s fuzzy friends and put an end to the fundamental problem surrounding the decline of bees and other pollinators.

The third generation family-run company, which has over 80 years’ experience of supplying free range eggs has enlisted the expertise of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust (BBCT) to develop bee-friendly habitats on Chippindale Foods’ nominated farms.

Eggs produced at bee-friendly farms will be labelled as Chippindale Foods’ Yorkshire Free Range packs on supermarket shelves, which will also include information on the BBCT and how people can help this winter to prepare for the bee season next spring.

Nick Chippindale, managing director of Chippindale Foods, said: “I’m very proud to announce this partnership and we’re extremely lucky to have great support from our free range egg farmers who are just as passionate about increasing the bee population as we are.

“We’re buzzing with excitement to be working with the BBCT and look forward to evolving our ‘bee friendly farms’ with guidance from the trust.

“We’re highly committed to helping protect our declining bee population and in the spring we’ll be offering packs with fun information about the different bumblebee species, their habitats and other information to keep people interested and helping the bees.”

Chippindale Foods has been working with several nominated producers and farms, such as Crooked Dale Farm near Driffield, to make areas more appealing to bees and since beginning the project further interest has been expressed from more of the firm’s suppliers.

Lucy Rothstein, chief executive of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, said: “In the last 100 years, the bumblebee population has severely declined and free range egg farms provide the perfect opportunity for the creation of wildflower habitats to support local bees and other pollinators.

“We’re delighted Chippindale Foods has got on board to create a habitat fit for the bees and this partnership has helped us to further our ambition on achieving countryside and communities rich in bumblebees and a diversity of wildlife for everyone to enjoy.”

Established in 1930 Chippindale Foods has evolved from a working farm in Harrogate and now employs 40 people. The family company specialises in egg grading, packing and distribution to both the food retail and food service sectors, including many of the UK’s leading supermarkets.

For more information on Chippindale Foods visit www.chippindalefoods.co.uk.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Chippindale Foods .