9 Meals From Anarchy

9 Meals From Anarchy, based in Saltney, bordering the counties of Flintshire and Cheshire, started by growing high quality organic vegetable produce and delivering it to local customers and restaurants. Then one day someone asked why most vegetable stocks available were not made mostly from vegetables, and what was in them. No one knew so 9 Meals From Anarchy resolved to create better, tastier stock. That led to the first range of 9 Meals From Anarchy stocks that achieved Great Taste Award stars.

However, more recently the 9 Meals team has been working with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and the River Cottage team producing a whole new range of great tasting stocks in jars.

Support received from Food Technology Centre

With funding from Project HELIX, the Food Technology Centre was able to support the business by advising and helping them set up their new facility on an industrial estate in Saltney.

9 Meals has also benefited from the Affiliate Scheme through Project Helix by recruiting an affiliate to work at the site with mentoring support from the Food Technology Centre’s food technologist. The affiliate’s role will be a quality and production management technician.

Bethan Brierley, a food technologist at the Food Technology Centre said, “The Food Tech Centre supported Tom and the team to design the new site layout and assisted with equipment and process decisions. The facility was a blank canvas so there was an opportunity to make full use of the space in the best way possible for a growing business such as 9 Meals.

“Once the site design had been agreed, the builders moved in. The site is now up and running, producing organic vegetable stocks and developing a new range of ketchups.

“We also supported 9 Meals to gain SALSA approval assisting to implement suitable systems and procedures so the site can run smoothly and efficiently.

“The site has also gained Soil Association organic accreditation and has launched a range of products under Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall's 'River Cottage' brand.

Benefits of the support

Tom Whitley, 9 Meals From Anarchy director said, “Our motto is that food fuels us and so we should make it as nutritious and delicious as possible. For the 9 Meals team that means supporting sustainable organic veg and making vegetable based foods.

“Working with the Food Technology Centre has been great, they have helped us every step of the way in setting up our new unit on the industrial park and guided us through our SALSA approval which is invaluable.

“Gaining our Soil Association organic accreditation on top has been great and being able to now work with brands such as the River Cottage team is fantastic. We couldn’t have done it without the Project HELIX and the Food Technology Centre’s support.

“Now with our site up and running we can produce food that supports a fairer, more sustainable food system. We all know that we need to eat more veg, but it shouldn't be a chore, it should be a pleasure, and that journey should start with 9 Meals stock.”

https://www.ninemealsfromanarchy.co.uk/