Supplier Blog: Dingley Dell

Business background:

Dingley Dell Pork was established in 1999 by brothers Mark and Paul Hayward on their farm near Woodbridge in the beautiful Deben Valley in Suffolk. Their aim was to produce superb tasting, welfare-friendly pork that could always be traced back to its source. Today, as well as being a member of the RSPCA’s Freedom Food scheme for over 15 years, it is also one of that scheme’s few ‘Ambassador Farms’.

Quality and sustainability:

Their pigs are born, reared and spend their lives outdoors, all year round. ‘As a farmer, it is a real pleasure to see contented pigs, living outdoors and free to express all their natural instincts,’ said Mark. Breeding sows are free to roam in groups and are fed on a natural, cereal-based diet. Each pig has her own insulated, individual hut in which to farrow. The piglets are weaned slightly later than usual, at five weeks old, and moved onto the farm’s outdoor nursery, with well-strawed and tented paddocks. Here they spend their rearing and growing periods playing outdoors, while being protected from the worst of the wind, rain and sun. This ensures that we have happy, healthy pigs that grow well in all weathers. Dingley Dell keeps a close eye on the environment, too, and they have planted 1,800 metres of new hedges and completed over 2km of hedge restoration.

Why we like them:

Happy pigs and great flavour go hand in hand, and everything at Dingley Dell Pork is geared towards the welfare of the animals. Their pork is processed locally, so they are able to supply pork that is totally consistent in its beautiful flavour and excellent quality from a single, bespoke and accountable production system.

Little known facts:

The latest huts for pregnant sows to birth in are made from Eco board, which is recycled from supermarket plastics.

Tony Mayer, Head of Supply Chain

Richard Pike, Technical and Sustainability Director

www.dingleydell.com

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