W & H Marriage and Sons Ltd
PRODUCER: W & H Marriage and Sons Ltd, Essex
PRODUCT: Golden Wholegrain Plain Flour
REGION: Eastern England
CATEGORY: From the Earth (Primary)
WHAT THEY DO
The Marriage family have been producing flour in Essex since 1824, and today W & H Marriage and Sons Ltd is owned and run by the fifth and sixth generations of the family.
The business, based at Chelmer Mills, champions wheat grown in Essex, where the soil type and climate are ideal for the crop. Much of the wheat comes from within a 30-mile radius of Chelmer Mills, and many of the farmers have long standing relationships with Marriage’s. Additional grain comes from the family’s own farms nearby, and Marriage’s have a no-GM wheat policy.
Marriage’s range of 18 flours is produced using “a combination of traditional techniques used for generations and the best modern milling technology”. Stoneground flours are milled on Victorian horizontal French burr stones. The bran produced as a co-product is used as animal feed, minimising waste.
The first of its kind in the UK, Marriage’s Golden Wholegrain Plain Flour is produced by milling the whole of the grain into flour in one process. With nothing added and nothing removed, the flour is light, mild and high in fibre. Marriage’s onsite baker continually tests the flours’ performance to ensure quality and consistency.
WHAT THE JUDGES SAID
The judges were already aware of the company’s brilliant reputation, commenting “Marriage’s are legendary when it comes to integrity”.
VISIT THE WEBSITE: flour.co.uk