Charity Archive

Duchy Originals Win Award for New Website

Posted 3rd September 2008 15:08pm

Duchy Originals, the pioneering organic food company founded by HRH The Prince of Wales in 1990, has won a prestigious Association of Publishing Agencies (APA) Award for its new website. Beating off competition from British Airways, Tesco and Honda F1 Racing, Duchy Originals won the Best Designed Website award at the 2008 APA Creative Awards. The APA praised the website for being “fresh and original” as well as being “exactly on-brand with some fascinating content”.

The new website is built around the Duchy Originals’ philosophy and beliefs. Central to this is the notion that its food ‘is good’ (because of its organic and artisan production), ‘does good’ (because all profits go to charity) and ‘tastes good’ (because it uses the best ingredients and works with the finest UK producers). In other words, if a biscuit tastes great it's not simply a happy coincidence, it's intrinsically linked to the method of production and to Duchy's approach to food.

Launched in May, the site’s appeal is driven by its stories including how oats grown at the Duchy Home Farm in Tetbury sowed the seed for Duchy’s first product, the Oaten Biscuit, how Duchy Originals has grown to work with over 30 UK producers to make a wide range of products from shortbread to sausages and how almost 20 years
later the Duchy Home Farm remains the heartbeat of the Duchy Originals business. The next development stage of the website will see Duchy Originals retail online for the first time.

One of the most popular parts of the site is the regular blog by Duchy Home Farm manager, David Wilson. His lighthearted blog educates visitors to the site about what it’s like to work on a farm, the realities of how food arrives on people’s plates and the connections between food, farming, health and the environment. Recent stories have included the saving of a cow with Milk Fever, the birth of rare breed piglets and how the farm’s two horses, Emperor and Duke, are being used for farm jobs, such as mowing, to help keep traditional skills alive.

Andrew Baker, Duchy Originals Group CEO said: “Our new Duchy Originals website is a key part of repositioning the business and capitalising on our hard-earned reputation as a pioneer of delicious organic food. The website enables us to reach out to Duchy Originals’ consumers and meet their demand for ever more information about where their food comes from.”

Exclusive Duchy Originals discounts

Posted 24th October 2008 16:32pm

Duchy Originals is pleased to offer members of The Prince’s Charities Community an exclusive 10% discount on their entire Christmas Gifts and Hampers range until 31st October 2008.

With prices starting from just £27, the Duchy gift collection offers something for everyone. Friends who enjoy cooking will love The Organic Cook gift (£45) which includes the Duchy Originals Cook Book and selection of organic ingredients as well as Duchy’s new Organic Herb Seeds, all presented in an open storage basket.

Green Fingered types will love The Organic Gardener gift (£50) which includes a Hand Trowel made from wood from the Duchy of Cornwall Estate, along with organic Vegetable Seeds and some tasty organic treats, presented in a branded wooden seed box.

If you’re stuck for ideas for those hard to buy for Dads and Granddads, look no further than The Gentleman’s Hamper (£27) which includes a selection of products with robust distinctive flavours, including Organic Ale, Mint Humbugs and Ploughman’s Pickle, packed in a mini wicker hamper.

For a special gift, choose The Luxury Hamper (£100) which contains an indulgent selection of festive treats, including Organic English Sparkling Wine, Organic Chocolate Bezants and Duchy’s award-winning Christmas Pudding, all presented in a traditional handmade wicker hamper.

Profits from the sale of all Duchy Originals products are donated to The Prince’s Charities Foundation.

Members of The Prince's Charities Community can take advantage of this exclusive offer, by contacting us for the promotional code to use when placing your order. Ordering is easy… visit the Duchy Originals website or call their order line on 01747 850 822. Orders must be placed by 31st October 2008 to be eligible for the discount, but delivery can be arranged for any time up to 19th December 2008.

If you are not yet a member, but would like to take advantage of this offer, simply join us today!

Win a Duchy Originals Organic Hamper in our December competition!

Posted 5th December 2008 13:22pm by Alison Duguid

As Christmas approaches, we're offering members of The Prince's Charities Community website the chance to win a fantastic Duchy Originals Classic Hamper.

Packed full of tasty organic treats, the hamper includes Duchy Originals' brand new Organic Chocolate Bezants and award-winning Christmas Pudding, along with a selection of delicious organic products to enjoy over the festive season all presented in a traditional wicker hamper.

The hamper contents include: Organic Handmade Christmas Pudding, Organic Chocolate Bezants with Spanish Orange Oil, Organic Festive Chutney, Organic Chocolate Orange Biscuits Tin, Organic Highland Shortbread, Organic Cheese Nibbles with Rosemary and Thyme, Organic Apple Refresher, Organic Handmade Clementine Marmalade, Organic Handmade Raspberry Preserve with Lime, Organic Chocolate Limes and two bottles of Organic Original Ale.

Duchy Originals was founded by HRH The Prince of Wales in 1990 to help promote sustainable food and farming in Britain. Profits from the sale of all Duchy Originals products are donated to The Prince's Charities Foundation.

To enter the prize draw to win a Duchy Originals Classic Hamper, e-mail us at princes.charities@royal.gsx.gov.uk with your name, address and telephone number. The deadline for entries is Friday 19th December (There will be one winner. No alternative will be offered. Only the winner will be notified. T&C apply.)

Visit the Duchy Originals Christmas gift collection and buy online or call the Duchy Originals orderline on 01747 850 822.

Each month, we will be bringing you a fantastic new competition prize from The Prince’s Charities Community. You must be a member to enter so, if you have not already done so, join the Community by registering here.

Win fabulous kitchen garden prizes from Duchy Originals to help you grow your own organic produce this summer

Posted 2nd April 2009 17:00pm by Alison Duguid

This month, Duchy Originals have given us some great prizes to give away to encourage your own organic kitchen garden aspirations.

1st prize: Duchy Originals Garden Tool Set & a selection of five selected Duchy Originals Seeds for your kitchen garden
Two runners up: a selection of five Duchy Originals seeds for your kitchen garden.

To enter, just answer the following question: when will the Duchy Originals/Elizabeth Hurley new product range launch? (see Blog article below for hint!)

E-mail your answer to princes.charities@royal.gsx.gov.uk with your name, address and telephone number (t&c apply).

You must be a member of The Prince's Charities Community Website to enter the competition. Sign up today here, it only takes a moment. Entries close at midnight on 30th April 2009. THIS COMPETITION HAS NOW CLOSED.

Duchy Originals links up with actress Elizabeth Hurley to create a line of organic food for charity

Posted 2nd April 2009 15:26pm by Alison Duguid

Duchy Originals, the organic and sustainable food company established by HRH The Prince of Wales in 1990, and actress Elizabeth Hurley are to collaborate on a range of modern, healthy, organic food.

Hurley owns a 400-acre organic farm in Gloucestershire, close to the Duchy Home Farm, where the original organic oats were sown - the inspiration for Duchy's first product, the Oaten Biscuit. Her organic and rare breed beef, pork and lamb are sold at local Farmer's Markets and are used by top chefs in restaurants in London and Gloucestershire. She will be supplying Duchy Originals with organic seasonal poultry and recently harvested her first organic grains.

The Duchy Originals/Elizabeth Hurley products will launch in October 2009.

Andrew Baker, Chief Executive of Duchy Originals said: 'We are delighted to have the chance to work with Elizabeth Hurley on this exciting project. We love that she is so passionate about healthy, nutritious food and we believe that every Duchy Originals/Elizabeth Hurley product will epitomise our Good Food Charter: is good, does good, tastes good.'

Elizabeth Hurley said: 'HRH The Prince of Wales is an inspiration to me because of his passionate belief in organic food and farming and his unwavering commitment to help protect and sustain the countryside. I feel honoured to be working with Duchy Originals and am extremely excited about the products we are developing together.'

Golds for Duchy at Great Taste Awards

Posted 17th July 2009 10:32am by Alison Duguid

Duchy Originals are celebrating having been awarded seven gold awards at this year's Great Taste Awards! The following Duchy products were awarded gold:

Surely a great excuse to try them for yourself and see what you think!

Charities to benefit as Duchy Originals joins forces with Waitrose

Posted 10th September 2009 10:30am by Alison Duguid

Duchy Originals has joined forces with Waitrose in an exciting and groundbreaking partnership which will cement its position as one of the country’s leading organic and free-range food brands.

The new licensing and distribution agreement - the first of its kind ever undertaken by Waitrose - will significantly increase the charitable donations made by Duchy Originals as Britain’s fastest-growing supermarket invests in and develops the brand.

The partnership gives Waitrose, Duchy Originals’ largest and most long-standing client, the exclusive right to originate, manufacture, distribute and sell Duchy Originals products in the UK. Waitrose, whose aim is to expand the range from the current 200 products to around 500, will pay a royalty to Duchy Originals on all wholesale and retail sales.

Both companies are confident that increased investment in the development of Duchy Originals will achieve sufficient sales growth over the next 10 years to generate a substantial increase in the royalties going to charity. To date, Duchy Originals has donated almost £7million to charitable causes throughout the UK and overseas.

For customers, the partnership means that Duchy Originals products will continue to be sold in all 214 Waitrose branches throughout the country, with new lines being introduced from Spring 2010.

Waitrose will also sell Duchy Originals products wholesale, enabling independent and family-run stores and restaurants to continue to stock and sell the brand.

The Duchy Originals brand will continue to promote sustainability and organic produce.

Andrew Baker, Chief Executive of Duchy Originals, said:

“This is a hugely important moment for Duchy Originals. This new partnership will take our pioneering company to the next level, accelerating the growth of the brand, and amplifying its voice as a champion of sustainably grown and produced food from the UK.

“Because of our constitution, and the fact that we are owned by a charity, Duchy Originals has never been able to build up reserves for investing in future growth. Instead, Duchy Originals has given all its profits to The Prince’s Charities Foundation. This has been very successful, with almost £7million donated. But now is the time to make the next step and this agreement is the best way for us to realise our growth ambitions. This is a deal where everyone wins – it is good for Duchy Originals, good for Waitrose, good for our consumers and good for charity.”

Mark Price, Managing Director of Waitrose, said today:

“This is a match made in heaven, creating a partnership with a shared passion for quality food, sustainable farming, excellent relationships with suppliers and for charitable giving.

“Duchy Originals’ products have always been firm favourites with our customers and we now have the opportunity to develop the range into the definitive premium, sustainable British food brand.

“Our plan is to make Waitrose a food democracy and today’s announcement signals to customers that they can come to us for the most comprehensive everyday to gourmet food range in the UK.”