Ten years on from horsemeat scandal and meat traceability still not enough says Yorkshire butcher

A Yorkshire based online meat retailer has unveiled a new traceability system that enables customers to use their smartphones to see where their whole cuts come from – right down to videos of the pastures where the cattle graze.
Emma Ryan
By Emma Ryan
Published 21st Jan 2023, 11:45 BST

As part of its Farming the Future (FTF) programme, Farmison & Co has devised a QR code on its packaging, with a link to the website where customers can trace the origins of their meat, including the breed, videography of the farm where it was reared and the food miles.

The launch coincides with the tenth anniversary of the horse meat scandal in January 2013, when horsemeat entered the food supply chain and was found in a series of beef products that reached the supermarket shelves – resulting in millions of products being withdrawn.

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Although the food industry has since taken steps to make food safer, Farmison & Co founder John Pallagi warned that the supply chain remained vulnerable and that more than ever consumers were demanding – and deserved to see – full traceability of produce.

Ten years ago this month, all the big supermarkets faced one of their biggest food safety issues in their history with the horsegate scandal. Although the food industry has since taken steps to make food safer, Farmison & Co founder John Pallagi warned that the supply chain remained vulnerable and that more than ever consumers were demanding – and deserved to see – full traceability of produce.Ten years ago this month, all the big supermarkets faced one of their biggest food safety issues in their history with the horsegate scandal. Although the food industry has since taken steps to make food safer, Farmison & Co founder John Pallagi warned that the supply chain remained vulnerable and that more than ever consumers were demanding – and deserved to see – full traceability of produce.
Ten years ago this month, all the big supermarkets faced one of their biggest food safety issues in their history with the horsegate scandal. Although the food industry has since taken steps to make food safer, Farmison & Co founder John Pallagi warned that the supply chain remained vulnerable and that more than ever consumers were demanding – and deserved to see – full traceability of produce.

The new QR code reveals details about the animal the meat comes from,

information about the breed, details of the farm and farmer, video footage of the land where the animal is fed and reared and exclusive recipes from Michelin-starred chef Jeff Baker.

Mr Pallagi added: “Here at Farmison & Co, the core of our business has been traceability from farms and farmers we know intimately – and as we grow, we’re determined to do all we can to share that detail with our customers from farm to fork.

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“We already encourage people to ‘Eat Better Meat’. From today we also encourage them to ‘Trace Better Meat.”

Among Farmison & Co’s longstanding suppliers are David and Carl Harrison with their pedigree Galloway herd above Arncliffe in Wharfedale and sheep and cows at Grewelthorpe in the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

They said: “In a world revolving around instant information, people today want to know where their food comes from. Working in partnership with Farmison & Co, we’re helping to give them more knowledge than ever before.”

Farmison & Co sells online directly to customers across the UK, as well as through Harrods, Selfridges, Fortnum & Mason and Michelin star restaurants, and last year it opened its first bricks and mortar store – Cut by Farmison – next to its Ripon headquarters.

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Farmison & Co’s FTF programme will initially apply to full cuts of meat. Product ranges that are traditionally a means to manage carcass balance and reduce waste – such as sausages or its Sauce Pan Ready meal range – while not initially included, will still be sourced from within Farmison & Co’s network of accredited suppliers and be fully traceable.

“In time, our ambition is that every item we offer will be in our new FTF programme,” added Mr Pallagi.

Set up in 2012 and based in Ripon, North Yorkshire, Farmison & Co specialises in meat from heritage breeds supplied by trusted farms in Yorkshire and the north of England and since its launch it has delivered more than 500,000 orders to customers across the UK.

Related topics:North Yorkshire