Daylesford Organic
While he was over here in London last week, Evan took a look at the food from Daylesford Organic and urged me to do the same. Produced on 7,000 acres in both the Cotswolds and Staffordshire, it aims to tick all those boxes the ethical consumer looks out for: organic, fresh, seasonal and local. I grabbed lunch from the Daylesford concession in Selfridges – just a couple of salads with a superb cookie – and checked out the various things they have on offer. The produce is obviously of high quality, with its provenance made clear. The design of the packaging is eye-catching too. Milk is sold in what looks like biodegradable detergent pouches, the dark chocolate truffles come in a minimalist heart-shaped box and the condiments kept airtight in chunky glass pots.
Although not nearly as widely available, Daylesford Organic is reminiscent of Prince Charles’s Duchy Originals line. It’s a project by the extremely wealthy Bamford family, who made their money with construction equipment and have since expanded into everything else from organic clothing and food to customized iPods.
Unsurprisingly, the sexy, expensive branding bumps up the price quite a lot. If it’s decent, organic, seasonal meat and veg you’re after, I reckon you could probably get it for a lot less at one of London’s thriving farmers’ markets. But if you want to give Daylesford Organic a go, you can at Selfridges Food Hall, as I mentioned, at their cafe in London’s Sloane Square or at the farm shop in Gloucestershire. There is also a Daylesford Organic online store.
