Gourmet burger van founder admits ‘extremely tough’ time as beef price increased by 30% during last year alone
The founder of a gourmet burger van in Northamptonshire has admitted it is an “extremely tough” time for his business, particularly as the price of beef increased by 30 percent alone last year.
Moo Hatch describes itself as “not your usual burger van” and was named best takeaway in the county at the Northants Life Awards in 2023.
The business is located in Old Greens Norton Road in Towcester, as well as popping up at venues and events across the county, and specialises in handmade chuck steak burgers, premium breakfast rolls and baguettes.
Founder Tim Randle launched the business in November 2020, which he described as the “perfect storm”. After being made redundant, he saw it as the ideal time to give the business a go, especially as he was well-supported by his community.
“We offer premium, gourmet and handmade burgers, fries and breakfasts made with locally sourced ingredients,” Tim previously told the Chronicle & Echo. “There was hardly anybody doing it at the time.”
Tim was asked to summarise the experience of running his independent business in Northamptonshire at the moment, and how last year was for Moo Hatch.
“It’s extremely tough,” he said. “It’s one of those things people dream about doing but the realities aren’t worth it at the moment.
“Last year was a challenge, with the fact costs have increased so much and there’s only a limit on what customers can afford. There’s a fine balance.
“People are spending less money because domestically they are seeing their bills go up. That burden is far greater for businesses, with huge cost increases far outweighing what we’re seeing domestically.
“2025 was a real challenge and we’ve come into 2026 knowing things aren’t looking any better. Most of us were relying on the budget last year but that hasn’t come into fruition. It’s bleak.”
Food costs are a particular struggle, with increases of 20 percent across the board. Beef, which is the single biggest expense of the business and their core product, increased by 30 percent between January and December 2025.
“We do have a very loyal customer base and people still really want to spend money with us,” said Tim. “That’s something we’re really grateful for, as they want to see us succeed. They want to spend their money where they know they’re going to get great value and top quality food.”
Moo Hatch tries to spend as much money as they can with local suppliers, with the aim of sourcing everything within a 30-mile radius wherever possible.
Tim continued: “We’re trying to give back to what is our local economy, by returning customer spend locally. All of these things matter as we’re putting money back into each other’s pockets.”
Moo Hatch’s Facebook and Instagram pages detail where you can find the business over the coming months, and Tim hopes to continue offering something unique that is a cut above the rest throughout 2026.