Ice Hockey Star Morgan Has A Plan To Butcher The Recession

Stilton: Local ice hockey fans might know him when he steps out on to the rink with the Peterborough Phantoms, but James Morgan is also beefing up his reputation in the world of business. He has played ice hockey for many years, including stints abroad in Canada and USA. But when it comes to the crunch, it is work first and sport second for the young Morgan whose father Peter set up the family business more than 30 years ago.

James's web-based Stilton Butchers can help you you save money on your weekly shopping courtesy of the Credit Crunch Box, one of many selection boxes/grill packs and barbecue packs that it has created.

"We have created this box especially for those people looking to cut cost," said James. "But we are still using all our finest cuts. This is an absolute bargain, working out at 90p per meal per person."

Priced at £25, the Credit Crunch Box consists of four 5oz Dingley Dell pork loin steaks, four 5oz top rump beef braising steak, four 6oz chicken breast (skinless/boneless), four 6oz gammon steak half moon, a 450g mince steak, Lincolnshire sausages (8s) and a 3.5lb oven ready chicken (barn reared/ grain fed). And it will be delivered free in the Peterborough area as it meets the firm's £25 minimum order value.

It has sold like hot cakes.

"Ours is a niche market, which is also ideal for single people as they can order one of each item vac-packed, unlike in a supermarket," said James.

It all started about seven months ago when James had the idea of selling Christmas hampers.

"It went crazy, we sold loads of them," he said.

"Word got around about the high quality of the meat, as well as via the website, and the Phantoms' website as well."

The stiltonbutchers.co.uk business – which delivers all types of meat lines, cooked meats and sauces direct to a customer's door – took off and has continued to expand.

After only four months, it has built up a customer base near to 1,000 and continues to grow.

The family business employs 10 to 15 butchers and operates 10 delivery vans out of a purpose-built 13,500 sq ft unit at the Reynolds industrial park, in Stevern Way, Edgerley Drain Road, Fengate, Peterborough.

Stilton Butchers is a member of the National Federation of Meat Traders and is a BRC (A)-registered company. It has a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) trainer on site, constantly checking the quality of the meat, and it is the only EEC Cutting plant within the area.

James's father, started the business, in 1978.

In the early days, he ran a shop in Stilton supplying the public with quality fresh meat, as well as having two market stalls.

He developed the business into supplying pubs and restaurants before further expansion meant taking the catering route to the large-scale business of today.

For more details of the bargains available, visit www.stiltonbutchers.co.uk