T: 01604 644247
E: info@houghtonhams.co.uk
Our Story
At Houghton Hams we’re just as passionate about ‘our products’ as we are ‘our family. Come on a journey with us through four generations. We’ll share the story of our connections to the local pig farming community, and the village where it all began.
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STOCKED NATIONWIDE
Our Story
The Journey So Far…
Our story begins with Nigel Wagstaff’s Uncle (Don). He worked in farming his whole life. Initially pig farming and in his later years dairy.
In the 1970’s, following the sad passing of his employer, Don inherited Grove Farm in Moulton. During this time Don introduced Nigel to the farming life. He loved working on the land and rearing the animals. Nigel remembers these years very fondly. He would work the farm on the weekends, during the week he would help his father in the local butchers shop. Working as a ‘Butcher’s Boy’ and delivering his rounds on a push bike!
As was common during these years, his whole family lived and worked in the same village of Moulton, and their lives were woven into the community. Sadly Don sold Grove Farm in the 90’s to pursue his love of farming in Devon but this period left a lasting impression on Nigel.
Fast forward in 1983. Following redundancy, Nigel with the support of his wife, Jo Wagstaff took a ‘leap of faith’ and started our family business…….. Houghton Hams.
With Nigel’s experience in both farming and butchery, and the acquisition of their secret recipe ‘the Wagstaff complete cure’ they produced their artisan hams, and gammons operating in a small unit in the village.
From day one ‘family’ and ‘passion’ have been at the core of our business. Always selecting the best regional UK and European based farms, to produce excellent quality meat products, meeting the strictest welfare and industry standards.
Today, our business still operates from Moulton, and still under the careful management of the Wagstaff family. Nigel, Jo and their 4 children. Now located on an industrial estate, at the village boundary with state-of-the-art machinery.
The business works seven days a week, from a premises 10 times the size of that initial unit in 1983. Still manufacturing with that same ‘secret recipe’ and ‘heart’ but employing around 60 employees, from all over the world. Making up the extended HH family.
The Team
Meet The Family
Meet the faces behind this family business, currently celebrating it’s 40th year in operation. Never standing still our business continues to grow. As does the next generation of the Wagstaff family, with six grandsons and more recently 3 grand daughters (at the time of publication). Finally some girls! We can’t wait to see how our story evolves…. Keep in touch so we can share it with you.
Nigel Wagstaff
Director/Founder
Jo Wagstaff
Director
Paul Wagstaff
Director
Linda Adetola
Director
Julie Blayney
Director
Sarah Nicholson
Director
Emma Wiseman
Office Manager
Joe Nicholson
National Sales Manager
