Latest news with #Sittingbourne
Telegraph
31-05-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
The Cook founders: ‘£5 for a home-cooked meal is better value than your average coffee'
You might think you've never tried a Cook meal – but can you be absolutely sure? The frozen food experts at their Sittingbourne HQ often receive panicked Monday morning emails from customers begging for the recipe to a particular dish. Try passing one off as your own and you may be caught out – your guest could well ask for the details. 'It doesn't just happen occasionally, it happens weekly,' says co-founder and co-CEO Ed Perry, still amazed. 'I do always think, 'Are you not secure enough in your friendship to tell them the truth?'' After all, there's no more respectable frozen meal than one from Cook. Mum friends will casually announce we're having a Cook lasagne when I come round – a time- and sanity-saving solution. I relay this to Ed, 54, his sister and co-CEO Rosie Brown, 49, and their brother James, 52, who is Cook's co-chair. They're pleased to hear it – but not remotely complacent. Twenty-eight years into their business, with £150 million in projected sales this year, 109 shops, 2,000 employees, three savoury kitchens in Sittingbourne and a Willy Wonka-esque dessert kitchen in Ilton, Somerset, they still take nothing for granted. The freezer that started it all Thanks to what they describe as a 'tightly ingrained freedom gene' they all share, it's been a long slog to reach this point. They've never taken venture capital, aren't stocked in the big four supermarkets, and run the business with a mission to nourish both people and planet. We're gathered around the kitchen table at Ed's home in Kent, ostensibly to discuss Cook: Serve Up Joy, the recipe book they're finally publishing – which should go some way to answering those Chicken Alexander recipe queries. It also marks a celebration of the way Cook has brought people together over food for nearly 30 years. The inspiration for the business stretches back further, to the siblings' childhood in 1980s Kent. Their parents, Anne and Andrew, ran two small coffee shops in the county, as well as a bakery. Anne worked full-time while still putting homecooked meals on the table for her four children (their youngest brother, Alex, isn't involved in the business). 'She was a really good cook, but the sort that doesn't follow recipes. She had a distinctive flare for how to make food taste good,' says Ed. Once a week, she'd make a big batch of casserole or chilli con carne. The leftovers went into square ice cream tubs and into the chest freezer at home. 'Come midweek, a tub would be pulled out and microwaved and that was supper. And it was always delicious. So we grew up knowing that frozen food can taste great,' explains Ed. 'Having the idea is one thing – executing it is another' In his early twenties, Ed began working for the family business, but in 1997 he decided to strike out on his own. 'I had this idea in the back of my head that if we could make savoury food that tastes just as good as my parents' cakes, it could work on the high street.' He had got to know a local chef, Dale Penfold, and the pair teamed up to make it happen. They borrowed £12,000 each from NatWest and Midland Bank, and £6,000 from Ed's parents. Dale set up a kitchen in Rainham for £18,000, while Ed opened their first shop – Cakes and Casseroles – in Farnham for £10,000. 'Even 28 years on, it seems a crazy small amount of money,' reflects Ed. Very quickly, he realised that having the idea was one thing – executing it was another. Ed still laughs at how naive he was. 'Dale was supposed to be instantly producing this food like my mother produced and we'd have 20 dishes in two weeks. But it wasn't like that. 'It was horribly complicated. We learnt it is really difficult to make it look and taste home-made, and deliver that consistently.' With hindsight, not knowing the tricks of the trade to manufacture at scale was a blessing. It meant they took no shortcuts – but the learning curve was steep. Take a simple meal like macaroni cheese. 'If you make a brilliant one, freeze and reheat it, it will come out like a brick,' says Ed. The perfect frozen macaroni cheese, he explains, involves dipping the pasta in boiling water for 15 seconds, then adding a béchamel that has the consistency of milk, but is packed with flavour. Freeze it, then take it out to sprinkle cheese on top. Freeze again. 'And when you reheat, it's perfect,' says Ed. Getting to that point took countless iterations – but enough customers were coming into the shop to convince Ed he was on the right track. 'The meeting lasted two minutes. We were in the s--t' Three years in, with a second shop in Tunbridge Wells, problems were on the horizon. Ed had failed to keep any accounts. 'Partly because I didn't know how. And partly because I knew how awful they would look if I had,' he grimaces. When he went to apply for a loan to build a new kitchen, the bank manager asked, 'Can I see your accounts?' 'I said: 'You can see a menu'. The meeting lasted two minutes. We were in the s--t.' Luckily, the following week his brother James came to visit. After five years at Cadbury, having joined the graduate scheme and lived at Bournville, he had agreed to take over the family baking business from their parents, Andrew and Anne, who were ready to retire. But it was what Ed was doing – however haphazardly – that excited him. 'I could see the potential of the retail business. The bakery was quite boring by comparison.' So in January 2000, Cakes and Casseroles merged with the family bakery. The name Cook was Ed's wife Sophie's idea – the product of a late-night drinking session down the pub in Oxted. Around the same time, Rosie, who had been working at Morgan Stanley and not enjoying it, came on board. 'They called and said, 'Come help us. We're trying to build a business.' I was like, 'I know absolutely nothing,' and they said, 'Neither do we.' And that's still slightly where we are – trying to figure it out.' Classics that never go out of style The decision not to sell through the big four supermarkets – although Cook products are available in Co-op and Booths – was down to James. 'There was a clear moment in time around 2005 when we'd just started supplying a few farm shops and we were always struggling financially. I asked, 'Shouldn't we try to supply supermarkets?'' recalls Ed. 'And I remember very clearly James saying, 'Look I spent five years at Cadbury having the s--t-kicked out of me by the big supermarkets, what chance do we have?' I still remember that conversation vividly. It made total sense and it was a red line.' Had they gone down the supermarket route, they suspect their offering would be closer to 20 dishes rather than the 150 they make currently. Their bestsellers remain mostly unchanged: beef bourguignon, chicken, ham and leek pie, lasagne, fish pie, chilli con carne. Three best-selling Cook recipes to try at home The veggie market has grown significantly in the past five years. Previously their veggie lasagne wouldn't have made the top 20; now it's top five. They've also introduced Indian ranges and, this year, Pan-Asian dishes. Ed groans when asked for a favourite: 'It's like asking me to choose my favourite child.' He is a crusader for their turkey laab, a Laotian dish made from minced turkey. 'The customer just isn't getting it. But it's absolutely amazing. I'm on a campaign to save it.' Family get-togethers are a big affair, and of course Cook features regularly – even at Christmas. 'I almost feel it's a duty,' says Rosie. 'If I'm not going to feed it to my own family, then why would anyone else?' Ed has three freezers at home. Not everything inside is from Cook. He frequently tries out competitors' offerings. 'It's always a weird moment when you have a bad meal from a rival, but you're also quite happy,' he jokes. A friendly rivalry with Charlie Bigham They don't think there's a shortage of room in the frozen ready meal market. Six months ago, Ed had lunch with Charlie Bigham. 'How was that?' I ask, eagerly. 'We stalked each other around the table, eyeing each other up,' he jokes. 'No, it's really good. We're not daggers drawn. His trajectory has been similar to ours, growing over a period of time.' Today, you tend to know if you live in a desirable area based on the availability of Cook meals – either a standalone shop or a freezer in the village shop. How do they feel about being seen as a middle-class symbol? 'The honest answer is that I feel a little bit uncomfortable,' admits Ed. 'Because the way we think about business is super inclusive. I think people would be completely surprised by the broad spectrum of people who shop with us. 'We don't want people to feel intimidated walking into a Cook shop because it's a middle-class zone.' Rosie agrees: 'At the end of the day we're selling a lasagne for £5, which is within reach of anyone who's buying a cappuccino for £3.50; £5 for a really good home cooked meal is really good value.' Still, it has always been a tricky balance, finding a price point that customers will pay, while aligning with their values on animal welfare, the planet, and supporting British farmers. Most of their ingredients are British, except for some New Zealand lamb, as they can't source enough in the UK. 'We could save ourselves £1.5 million a year tomorrow if we went to the same welfare standard of other big brands,' says Ed. Right now they are tackling the inflationary storm of the past two years. Energy, wage and ingredient inflation have seen costs spiral. 'And we can only move prices up so much,' says Ed. They would like to see national food strategy moving up the government's agenda. 'It's still seen as bottom of the list and I think actually food is pretty fundamental to a healthy society,' states Rosie. 'And we do have a farming industry that is needing attention.' Building a business that values people over profits Their business has weathered other tough times. In 2008, they nearly went bust. Then in 2021, they faced a cyber attack. 'We were early adopters on that score,' jokes James. It struck just before Christmas, their busiest period. Luckily, the Eastern European gang behind it didn't access customer data, but it did disrupt stock movements. Their plan remains to open 8-10 shops annually; Macclesfield was their latest. They now have 1,080 live concessions, with 130 more planned this year across independent and cooperative retailers. When asked what they're most proud of, it's not selling millions of meals but the workplace culture they've built. In 2013, James introduced the B-Corp concept to the UK, meaning Cook meets strict social and environmental standards. Over 2,400 UK businesses are certified. The siblings believe business should contribute to a fairer society. In 2015, just before paying their first dividend, Rosie pointed out in a board meeting they weren't yet paying the Living Wage Foundation rate. 'I spoil everyone's fun,' she laughs. With families of their own, a dividend would have been welcome. But Rosie's calculations showed the Living Wage cost would match the dividend amount. 'We all looked at each other and said, 'Yeah, we have to do that',' recalls Ed. 'We made that decision and I'm so glad we did.' Dale, 14 years Ed's senior, retired six years ago but remains a close friend. The Cook recipe book is dedicated to him and Liz Dove, who started the Ilton kitchen. The business is passionate about people. Like Timpson, they employ prison leavers and those facing mental health barriers. Rosie is the first woman to chair the Prison Employment Advisory Board. They credit their Christian upbringing for this outlook. 'Across the four siblings our range of faith goes from not much at all, to quite a lot, but the values set that we all share from how we were brought up informs everything,' says Ed. Their parents are proud but 'would not have been in any way impressed if we'd become a £100 million company running the company in a way that was egregious,' says Ed. 'The belief [is] that the role of business is a lot more than maximising financial returns for whoever owns the capital. Those values continue to be a huge influence on what Cook is today.'
The Sun
07-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Industrial UK town dubbed ‘hell on earth' to turn shabby old shopping centre into ‘go-to destination' in huge revamp
EXTREME MAKEOVER There are talks of another large national chain joining the centre A SHABBY old shopping centre in an industrial UK town is set to receive a multi-million-pound revamp. Property developers purchased the town's central shopping centre from former owners late last year, with major plans to transform it. 3 3 3 It comes two years after the town's centre was dubbed " hell on earth" by locals who were facing a series of youth vandalism occurrences. Youth gangs were known to start fights, vandalise and cause chaos particularly around the town's central shopping area. Locals claimed they were hold the town hostage, as youths on bikes were often seen entering stores, and terrifying customers of all ages. But last year, ambitious plans to revitalise the town centre from almost a decade ago began to be put in place. The Forum Shopping Centre in the heart of Sittingbourne, Kent was then bought for £2.4 million by Vanguard Properties UK Ltd from Praxis in December. Director of Vanguard, Kamal Farid, told KentOnline: "We want to attract a higher footfall into the shopping centre." He hopes to do this by enhancing the retail, food and beverages outlets. "The only way to do this is by attracting shops that you cannot find online", Mr Farid added. 'We also want to redevelop the shopping centre as much as we can, make it lively, make it a good place for families and all the people in the community to come here and enjoy their time. "This project was a very big challenge because there were nine vacant units [but] since our takeover in December, there are only four vacant units left.' Kent residents fuming at disturbance caused by local amusement park A Costa Coffee currently exists in The Forum, but there are talks of another large national chain joining the centre, which Mr Farid has not confirmed the identity of. The retailer is set to take on the largest unit of the complex, that was once the site of Tesco, Somerfield, and most recently Poundstretcher. This will be in unit number 19, which has been empty since 2022. In addition, an independent store called Julian's Pie and Mash is due to open in the coming months. Mr Farid also revealed Vanguard's plan to build 74 flats on the roof of the site, that will also help boost footfall. The redevelopment is expected to cost between £6 million to £7 million, and several years to complete. Its building will be done by 35-year-old Farid's company, Imperium Engineering, which he decided to take on due to The Forum's "iconic location". The shopping centre is located in a prime spot for the town, right across from the rail station with an entrance onto the High Street. Vanguard are planning to submit its proposals to Swale Council this week. The revitalised shopping centre comes nearby a new 24/7 gym, an eight-screen cinema and leisure centre complex known as The Light, a Travelodge hotel and a series of restaurants, that were introduced last year. The Forum first opened in 1989, and was owned by Tesco between 2008 and 2019, until it was bought by Praxis for more than £7 million before being sold to Vanguard.
BBC News
10-02-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Maher has 'absolute belief' in Southend
Southend United boss Kevin Maher insists he will not change the way his team play despite criticism following back-to-back Shrimpers were knocked out of the FA Trophy by eighth-tier Sittingbourne and lost their latest National League game against Maidenhead United, both by a 1-0 have won only 10 of their 29 league games this season following last summer's takeover by COSU (Custodians of Southend United) and are currently 12th in the table, six points outside the play-off places."There is absolute belief in what we're doing and what the players can do," Maher told BBC Essex Sport."In terms of our build-up and the style of play, there's a lot of quality there, a lot of players have performed well but we've got to get moments in games right when we get to the final third."Maher made more than 400 appearances for Southend during his playing career and returned to the club as head coach in October 2021 following a spell with Bristol held the team together despite protracted financial problems which saw the club under threat of liquidation and subject to transfer embargoes and a points deduction, before the takeover was finally he said online critics of their past two results needed to look at things from a wider perspective. "What we've been through as a team, as a staff, I'll back my players one million per cent," Maher added. "Six months ago we nearly didn't have a football club. A consortium came in and were paying people's wages, even though they didn't own the club. We had staff that didn't leave when they could have done, (and) players never left when they could have done."We're going through a sticky patch and aren't quite where we want to be, that's football. But what you've got is people who care about the club, players who care and what you can't do is criticise their effort and application."I know what I'm doing, the staff know what they're doing, and we won't compromise on what we believe and how hard we work."The Shrimpers play Halifax Town at Roots Hall on Tuesday, the first of three home games in a row - and they could be right in the play-off picture if they win them all."We want to get out of this league, absolutely, but we've got to keep building a squad, which I think is now a lot better," added Maher."Last week was a chance to get closer to Wembley, which we'd have all loved, but once it's gone you've got to park it. Saturday could have moved us up to ninth if we'd won - what you can't do is dwell on it and let it fester into the next game."It's easier to drag down than to drag up. I bet when we lose we get more coverage than when we win, and that tells a story."
BBC News
06-02-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Sittingbourne: The fans cheering the club 'on the crest of a wave'
Clive Miller, better known as Clive the Mexican or simply The Sombrero, is a dedicated Sittingbourne FC fan. Home and away, he follows the team in his trademark outfit, belting out songs to spur on his adored club, known by fans as The Brickies. Clive's years of dedication are finally being rewarded as he says the club is "on the crest of a wave".They are unbeaten in 28 games, on course for promotion to the 7th tier, and two games away from Wembley in the FA Trophy - the biggest game in their 140-year history. A £6.4m stadium is also potentially in the works as part of an 8,400-home 'new town', if the development is given the go-ahead. "Hand on heart I can't remember things being this good," Clive added. Sittingbourne was the lowest ranked side left in the FA Trophy when they played Southend on Saturday but came out on top after a shock win. Former player Maurice Dunk, now the chairman, said he "burst into tears" when the goal from Anthony Church gave them a 1-0 lead in added time."Everything came back, from the moment I walked in there with my dad as a six-year-old, to the times we nearly went bust. "There was all this pent up emotion," he said. About 1,000 fans travelled to Roots Hall stadium in Southend, which has a capacity of more than 12, was Neil Cornelius, better known as Southend Brickie, "because I come from Southend and I'm a Brickies fan". He travels three hours each way to the team's home at Woodstock Park for games."It is just the perfect game - especially when Sittingbourne are doing so well and have a fighting chance," he Brickie and Clive 'The Sombrero' Miller, are just a couple of "about 50 'ultras' who will follow the club anywhere," according to the feels things are "perfectly aligning" and he dreams of making Sittingbourne the biggest non-league club in Kent. With crowds growing, Maurice said Sittingbourne FC is "a sleeping giant that's been woken up". On March 1, they'll face Aldershot Town at home."They're not on the best run and we're on cloud nine," said Maurice. BBC South East is running a new feature called 'Behind The Teams' where we'll be looking at the characters who keep small clubs going across Kent, Surrey and Sussex. If you think your team should be featured please email southeasttoday@ or contact us on Facebook, X or Instagram.
