Beef

Do you know what beef you’re really eating?

Many supermarkets sell dairy-bred beef – cattle raised primarily for milk, not meat. This beef is often leaner, tougher, and lacks the rich flavour and tenderness you deserve.

At Cranstons, we do things differently.

All our beef comes from local suckler herds, mainly Limousin crosses, bred specifically for meat quality. We select cattle aged 18 to 24 months – mostly heifers – as their slower growth results in superior flavour and tenderness.

We work closely with a trusted group of six local beef farmers, all of whom have supplied Cranstons for over a decade. These long-standing relationships give us full control over quality and ensure the highest welfare standards. We visit the farms regularly and buy cattle directly, with farmers transporting animals themselves to reduce stress.

Our beef is predominantly grass-fed. Calves suckle their mothers and graze pasture for most of their lives. In winter, or during the final finishing phase, they are housed in spacious, well-ventilated sheds and fed a cereal and straw diet to enhance marbling and flavour.

Cranstons butchers handle the whole beef carcass. Hindquarters are matured for a minimum of 21 days to guarantee tender, full-flavoured beef in every cut.

These six beef farmers supply Cranstons direct week in week out:

Lamb

We buy our lambs through three local auction marts (Penrith, Wigton and Hexham) which allows us to support scores of family farms local to each of our shops.

Typically the lambs we purchase are outdoor reared in the Cumbrian and Northumberland (for our Hexham shop) countryside, suckling their mothers initially, then weaning onto grass before being sold at auction typically at six months old.

Depending on the time of year, some of the lambs will be fed cereal  in the last few weeks of their lives to supplement their grass diet.

Chicken

We buy our standard chicken through Frank Bird Poultry of Langwathby, near our HQ in Penrith.

Frank Birds guarantee that our supply is from their Cumbrian farms.

The birds are indoor reared and fed on soya-based feed.

“Soya purchased for Frank Bird’s requirements is all responsibly sourced under the FEMAS scheme.   Responsible sourcing schemes require growers
to conform to criteria to protect the environment, use good agricultural practices, maintain good community relations, treat workers fairly and comply with local laws and land rights.’’ – Frank Bird Poultry

The company complies with the following red tractors assurance standards:

Poultry catching and transport standards version 4.1.

Meat processing scheme version 3.1.

Chicken standards broilers and poussin version 4.1

In addition to our standard chicken our Food Halls stock Free Range chicken and ducks  from Creedy Craver their welfare policies can be found here: https://www.creedycarver.co.uk/free-range-chicken/ 

https://www.creedycarver.co.uk/free-range-duck/

Pork

Our pigs are classed as ‘high welfare indoor’, and are sourced from three farms in North Yorkshire.  They live in groups, allowing them to socialise and move around freely, with one side of the barn being open to allow natural airflow and heaters to increase the temperature during the winter months.

Straw and other enrichment materials are used, ensuring they have comfortable bedding and encouraging rooting and foraging; natural pig behaviours. The pigs are also provided with wooden chews and toys, making sure that they are entertained, active and engaged.

Zero growth hormones are used in any of the pigs and antibiotic use is kept to an absolute minimum.

How are the animals slaughtered? Is your meat halal?

Our beef, lamb and pork are slaughtered using non-halal methods. We use reputable local abattoirs which are strictly regulated to ensure high welfare standards.

Our supplier of poultry, Frank Bird, uses the industry standard slaughter technique, which is similar to the methods used in halal slaughter (without the ritualistic associations). The chickens are first stunned with electricity then decapitated. This is done in a dark environment as to not cause panic to the birds. This is the preferred method of around 80% of the poultry industry and we believe that this method is humane.