After facing redundancy and then another two years of buying and selling with savings in hand, Nigel Wagstaff founded a business that now provides food to families across the UK.
Leveraging his farming background and early experience as a butcher’s boy, Nigel created Houghton Hams, which celebrated its 40th anniversary a couple of years ago. The business was initially funded by Nigel’s £5,000 redundancy money, matched by a further £5,000 bank loan that he repaid within a year.
Reflecting on the journey, Nigel said,
“It’s a long time to have been running a family business.”
After losing his job as Sales Manager at Dalgety, working with processed meats until the emphasis of the company switched to fresh meat, Nigel then decided to work for himself just taking a commission for buying and selling familiar products amongst previous contacts.
It soon became apparent that the desire to form his own business had become the driving force. He secured a secret ham cure recipe from his previous MD, purchased a batch of pork legs, and started his venture. Despite the high-interest rates of 14% during the mid- 1980s, Nigel’s business plan convinced his bank manager to provide the loan.
In its early days, Houghton Hams operated on a small scale, supplying local Co-op butchery vans and the community in general.
Food standards were less stringent then, allowing for arrangements like selling hams at a petrol station counter. Nigel said:
“We didn’t have refrigerated vehicles and handled orders ourselves. On one particular occasion, a customer needed 100 hams, so my wife, Jo, and I delivered them using our cars – one being a Mini – with 50 in each.”
Today, Houghton Hams operates from a 45,000 square feet production centre on Moulton Park and adheres to strict standards, including the local EHO Soil, Association Organic certification, Red Tractor certification, BRC and Food Standards Agency regulations.
The product range includes cooked hams, cooked turkey, cooked beef, bacon and gammons. The company can offer dry cured, reduced salt and nitrite free products that are available nationwide through retail outlets such as Aldi, Co-op, Waitrose, Ocado, Whole Foods and Amazon; food service clients such as Bookers, Bidfood, Holdsworth and Costco; sandwich makers On A Roll, and brewery chains like Wetherspoons.
The family business includes Nigel, Jo, their four children – Paul, Julie, Linda and Sarah – and three of their partners.
“Nine out of ten of us are in the business. You can only succeed with people who share your vision. It’s not easy to work in a family business, but we’ve been protective of our brand and products, which has kept us going for more than 40 years.”
Nigel emphasises the importance of community support. He said,
“From early customers who took a chance on us to the charities and sports clubs we’ve supported, we’re proud to be part of this community.”
Houghton Hams has also been involved in the Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards, showcasing its products and receiving the F&B Achiever of the Year award in 2023. He added,
“These awards celebrate local producers and give them the recognition they deserve.”
Despite challenges such as minimum wage regulations, National Insurance and Government Plastic Tax, Nigel remains determined.
“When I started, my goal was to provide for my family. Now, we have a workforce of around 100 people, and I feel responsible for them. Even in tough times, you must keep moving forward.”
Looking to the future, Nigel’s focus is on the family’s involvement and adapting to changing consumer demands and sustainability. He said:
“People are more concerned about food provenance, organics and health. We’ve evolved to meet these expectations and hope the next generation will continue our legacy.”
For more information about Houghton Hams visit the website.
