Yorkshire food set to spearhead Asda’s drive for Christmas sales

The Leeds-based supermarket chain is finalising its Christmas range five months before the event in order to allow suppliers time to arrange production.

Key suppliers include Nigel Sampson of Holme Farm Venison in North Yorkshire, who will supply a new range of venison joints such as a venison rack with cranberry and port butter.

Other suppliers include York-based beef farmers Tom and Mike Powley, Selby-based carrot and parsnip farmer Guy Poskitt and chutney producer Mercers of Yorkshire.

Asda’s chief executive Andy Clarke said Mr Sampson’s French cut eight rib venison rack with a cranberry and port butter is expected to be one of the group’s star performers over Christmas, with many families opting for venison over the traditional turkey roast.

“It is both low in fat and a source of Omega 3 and it is easy to prepare when Mum is short on time as it cooks in less than 40 minutes. It’s a great option for a dinner party,” he said.

Mr Sampson has worked in venison farming for nearly 20 years and has worked with Asda for 10 years.

His venison joints have previously been available in 30 stores, but this Christmas they will be on sale in over 300 Asda stores across the country.

The deer are reared naturally, grazing on pastures on Mr Sampson’s farm in Sherburn in Elmet. He has also extended the business to other parks and farms throughout Britain, from the Highlands of Scotland to the Devon countryside.

All the animals are naturally reared on extensive grazing systems.

“People appreciated the health qualities of venison,” said Mr Sampson. “They like the fact it’s less than two per cent fat and it’s completely free range. This year we’ve seen an incredible uplift in sales and we’re bringing out six new products for Christmas.”

York-based beef farmers Tom and Mike Powley will produce Asda’s Extra Special rib beef, which is dry-aged for 21 days to make it tender and rich.

Designed as a dinner party dish, it goes straight into the oven with minimal washing up.

The Powleys will also supply a 28 day matured beef sirloin joint and a 28 day matured châteaubriand beef fillet joint for Asda’s Extra Special range.

The Powleys were one of Asda’s first farmer suppliers and their relationship with the group goes back ten years.

As well as breeding a variety of award winning calves, the Wagyu beef cattle is the farmers’ most famous breed.

Farming 130 tenanted acres at Green Hammerton, York, they have gradually expanded the enterprise to its existing 300 acres.

The farm has 110 spring-calving suckler cows and at two years old, the heifers calve to an Aberdeen-Angus or a Wagyu.

The herd is wintered on straw bedding in loose housing and they calve in mid-March.

Vegetable farmer Guy Poskitt will supply Extra Special chantenay carrots during the festive season, a favourite with chefs as they are triangular and smaller in size than traditional carrots and are small enough to serve and eat whole.

The carrots will be bred for their shape and size and have a nuttier, denser flavour than a normal carrot.

They don’t need peeling so they are quick and easy to cook.

Mr Poskitt, who will also be providing half of all Asda’s festive carrots, has a farm near Selby where he and his family have been growing vegetables for more than 40 years. He has been an Asda supplier for 17 years.

Asda works with 250 local suppliers in Yorkshire and will be using many of them to produce locally sourced Christmas food hampers.

There will be a special Yorkshire & North East hamper which will be sold for £10 in 48 stores.

Asda said Mercers of Yorkshire chutney will be the hero product along with Mercers mini onion marmalade and mini chilli jam.

The local preserve producer is extending its range in Asda to 43 products across 100 Asda stores across the UK.

It originally supplied a range of four marmalades in Yorkshire.

The Yorkshire Hamper will also contain blonde ale Copper Dragon Golden Pippin, Grandma Wilds ginger biscuits and two local cheeses including a Wensleydale and a local cheddar.

Asda is launching a number of its new Christmas products with Leiths School of Food and Wine.

“We are excited to be building on our relationship with Leiths for Christmas 2012,” said Mr Clarke.

“This unique partnership has helped us deliver new levels of innovation and quality across our Extra Special range.”

Camilla Schneideman, Leiths’ managing director, said: “After months of tasting and working alongside the team at Asda to get the products just right, we’re really looking forward to seeing our range of seasonal foods appear on the shelves.

“At a time when Asda shoppers want to give their friends and family the very best, we’ve worked hard to create some delicious treats which are perfect for the festive season.”

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