Northampton family-run food producer of 40 years is proud of national rollout in popular supermarket
A Northampton family-run food producer of more than 40 years is proud that its product is being rolled out across all Aldi stores in England and Wales after a successful trial.
Houghton Hams, which provides the best British meats from regional farms, has been collaborating with the popular supermarket chain over the past six months.
The business has been supplying deli-style hams to a small selection of Aldi stores, and volumes are expected to increase from 8,000 to 25,000 packs a week as a result of the rollout this month.
The journey of Houghton Hams, located at Moulton Park Industrial Estate, began with Nigel Wagstaff’s uncle Don who worked in farming his whole life.
Don introduced Nigel to farming and he looks back on those years fondly – when he would help on the farm at weekends and assist in the local butchers during the week.
It was in 1983, with the support of his wife Jo, when Nigel took a leap of faith and started the Houghton Hams family business.
With Nigel’s experience in farming and butchery, and the acquisition of their secret ‘Wagstaff Complete Cure’ recipe, they began producing artisan hams and gammons from a small unit in Moulton village.
Family and passion have been at the core of the business from the beginning. They always select the best regional UK and European based farms, to produce quality meat products that meet strict standards.
The business still operates from Moulton and is under the careful management of the Wagstaff family – Nigel, Jo, their four children Paul, Julie, Linda and Sarah, and three of their partners.
Open seven days a week from premises 10 times the size of their initial unit in 1983, the family employs up to 100 people from all over the world. They make up the extended Houghton Hams family.
Having last spoken to the Chronicle & Echo when the business was celebrating 40 years in October 2023, Nigel explained that the focus of the past two years has been extending their factory premises.
The most recent addition is two new buildings, which have allowed for extensions to both the high and low risk areas. Low risk is when the meat comes into the business, and high risk is everything that happens after the product is cooked.
This has been a “significant” change and Houghton Hams has now tripled the size of their high risk area. This reflects the demand for their products, and the expansion was underway before their collaboration with Aldi was even on the cards.
Houghton Hams now has 14 buildings all linked together, and Nigel is hopeful that they will add a further two to continue “future-proofing the business”.
Nigel praised his son Paul Wagstaff and son-in-law Joe Nicholson for their hard work on the collaboration with Aldi, and believes the opportunities they have are indicative of where the business is at.
“I believe we’re one of the biggest family food producing businesses in the country,” Nigel told the Chronicle & Echo. “This gives us another edge.
“Retail gives you exposure and gets you on dining tables. Wholesale ends up in pubs, restaurants and schools. Aldi gives us a more rounded sales potential across the country.”
Houghton Hams was recommended to Aldi by another company, and the family-run business has made a large investment in equipment and space to ensure the collaboration is a success.
Nigel and Jo are proud to still lead the business 42 years on from its launch, with their four children and three of their partners as an integral part of the team.
“Me and Jo couldn’t do it on our own,” said Nigel. “Our team is integral to the growth of the business and we’re very grateful.
“You’re only as good as your staff, and we have confidence in what we do. Our family business is going from strength to strength and not everybody can say that.”
Looking to the future of Houghton Hams, Nigel shared that people are pushing for a reduction in nitrate and nitrite levels in meat products.
Nitrites impact the colour, taste, food safety and shelf life of products, and Nigel says a lot of thought has gone into the launch of their first alternative product – which they hope will be available from November.
The Houghton Hams team is passionate about providing a nitrate and nitrite alternative and do not want to miss the opportunity to be one of the leading businesses to offer it.