Cherry Valley duck brand breaks into mainstream retail market

The Cherry Valley brand has re-entered the mainstream retail sector by supplying branded frozen whole ducks to Tesco.

Available in a 1.9kg format, the Lincolnshire company hopes the timing of the launch will capitalise on the run up to Christmas period.

Eric Jagger, sales and marketing director at Cherry Valley, explained: “Until last year, we had been out of the retail sector for some time, but this opportunity is part of a continued strategy to expand further in the sector.”

“We are very excited about working with Tesco and delighted to see the product on shelf,” he said.

This is the second multiple retailer secured by Cherry Valley, following its on-going supply of a six-strong portfolio of own-brand products to Marks & Spencer, which began in 2008.

This year, Marks & Spencer will again stock the “Easy Carve with a Morello Cherry and Pork Stuffing” seasonal product alongside the rest of the range in the run up to Christmas.

Cherry Valley has been operating since 1959 and is today rearing about eight million ducks every year.

Just last month, the company secured Freedom Food Accreditation for its Farm Fresh Duck brand, where birds receive fresh straw on a daily basis and have purpose-built pools of water in the verandas, so that they can wade, preen and paddle.