Beef cattle
All our beef is
from BRITISH farms
There’s more room for the cattle, and we work exclusively with farmers who share our animal welfare values.
Because we buy the whole animal, farmers have more financial security than on the open market, so they can invest in sustainable farming methods and helping local wildlife.
It's considerations like this that help us win awards for our farming. Look out for our animal welfare marque on our own-label meat and fish.
MEET the farmer
“Our family farm is in Norfolk, in the heart of The Broads National Park,” says Gary Gray. “The fields are on environmentally sensitive marshes, so we can’t farm in a very intensive way here – but then we wouldn’t want to. Our Aberdeen Angus cattle are good grazing animals and really make the best of the grassland we have.
Gary Gray and his Aberdeen Angus cattle, which he farms on the marshes in Norfolk
‘The bulls we use are all pedigree and mostly in the top one per cent of their kind in the world'
“We consider ourselves very fortunate to work with Waitrose, because its dedicated beef processor commits to buying whole carcasses directly from farmers, as opposed to just buying the cuts it wants at auction. Doing it that way guarantees really good quality beef and minimises waste – and, for us, it gives the assurance that we’ll sell a set amount each month.
“However, the price we get depends on the national average, and that’s affected by what cuts people buy.
“We know Waitrose shoppers like to support British farmers, so I think it’s important people know that we need them to vary the cuts of meat they buy. Have a steak on a Friday night, or roast a joint of beef on a Sunday, and enjoy the leftovers cold with salad, or in sandwiches during the week. Farmers like us put everything we can into making our beef as good as it can possibly be, and by thinking about what cuts you put in your trolley, you can help make sure we can all go on doing that.”