M&S has made a significant 33% increase, equivalent to £36m, in its farming commitments for British chicken, driven by the growing popularity of its Remarksable Value chicken range, including the £1.50 Oakham Gold Chicken Legs (600g) (sales up 21.4% YTD, YoY) £1.80 Oakham Gold Chicken Drumsticks (600g) (up 20.8% YoY) and £1.65 Oakham Gold Chicken Wings (750g) (up 18.7% YoY)*
M&S’ sustained investment in trusted value has driven overall sales growth of 20% in its Remarksable Value, ‘Dropped & Locked’ and ‘Bigger Pack, Better Value’ lines*
Remarksable Value delivers over 100 everyday staples like bread, milk and Oakham Gold Chicken at market-benchmarked prices. ‘Bigger Pack, Better Value’ provides great value, generous sized portions of family favourites like pasta, sauces and fresh produce. ‘Dropped & Locked’ locks in lower prices across shopping trolley essentials, helping customers save without compromising M&S quality, taste, or welfare standards.
This growth requires additional Oakham Gold farms coming into operation, alongside new breeding and rearing facilities, further supporting UK farming jobs while bolstering M&S’ commitment to offering the best value and quality to customers.
Alex Freudmann, managing director of Food at M&S, said: “Our customers are increasingly looking for products that deliver great value without compromising on quality. The success of our Remarksable Value chicken range proves that you don’t have to sacrifice high welfare and taste for affordability. By expanding our British farming commitments, we’re supporting UK agriculture while meeting growing demand for high-quality, high-welfare food.”
M&S is proud to be the first and only national retailer to sell 100% RSPCA Assured fresh chicken. Its exclusive, slower-reared Oakham Gold fresh chickens are fed a multigrain diet, inhabit a more natural environment and have 20% more space to roam making the meat more succulent and flavoursome. M&S is also an early signatory of the Better Chicken Commitment, launched by animal welfare organisations from across Europe.
Tom Kerridge, chef and M&S Food Ambassador, said: “It’s been brilliant to see M&S working with its Select Farms to consistently raise the bar on higher-welfare chicken in recent years. Having visited some of the farmers that slowly rear Oakham Gold chickens, I’ve seen firsthand how giving them more space and time to grow results in them being more flavoursome and succulent. For me a Sunday roast absolutely has to be higher-welfare Oakham Gold.”
The expansion builds on M&S’s commitment to British farming through its Plan A sustainability program. As part of Plan A Farming, M&S is working with its Select Farmers to pioneer regenerative farming methods that protect soil health, enhance biodiversity, and improve animal welfare while maintaining food security. M&S has reiterated it is committed to supporting British farmers and through sourcing 100% British across key products such as Chicken, Beef, Pork and Milk.
M&S has a long-standing partnership with 2 Sisters Food Group, a major food producer that supplies M&S with various products. The partnership includes collaboration on new product development, supply chain transformation, and significant food donation initiatives to combat food insecurity.
Ranjit Singh, President of 2 Sisters Food Group, said: “This increased commitment from M&S represents a significant investment in British farming and is a clear vote of confidence in our high welfare standards. The expansion will create new jobs and support farming communities across the UK, reinforcing the long-term strength of British agriculture.”
Kathryn Turner, Director of Product Development M&S Food, said: “As well as choosing value and higher welfare, customers are increasingly opting for more flavoursome, wholesome cuts. While chicken breasts have ruled for a generation, we are now seeing strong growth in thighs and drumsticks. Customers tell us they’re doing more slow cooking, but also looking for the natural benefits of collagen, which is abundant in these cuts. We’ve found that because M&S chicken is slower grown, it delivers a richer flavour in dishes like casseroles than standard chicken.”
The expansion will also increase M&S’s annual wheat requirements from 25,000 to 30,000 tonnes to feed the larger flock supplied from the Southwest of England and Scotland.
This commitment reinforces M&S’s position as a leader in sustainable and ethical food production, aligning with its Plan A for Farming 2030 ambition to create a sustainable British farming industry, supporting farmers to deliver exceptional quality food.
*All figures Q3
