A RYEDALE food company is now running a Helmsley butcher's shop after a “whirlwind” turnaround.

The Fabulous Meat and Fish Company, which is run out of Welburn, near Castle Howard, was offered the opportunity to take over the establishment in early July - and within a week had opened its doors.

Amanda Goodwill, who runs the Fabulous Meat and Fish Company with her husband Allan, said: “It’s been a complete whirlwind - things like this just don’t happen.

“This time last year there were just two of us making sausages in a little machine. Now we’ve got a full production unit.”

Running the shop in Bridge Street allows the company to have a full range of local meats, as well as its smoke house and charcuterie all on one site.

All their meats come direct from local farmers such as Fraser Aitken at Escrick, whose pigs roam on 200 acres of woodland, Peter Stark from Hovingham, the Kemp family at Barton-le-Street, Duncombe Park, the Matheson family farm near Beverley and Loose Birds at Harome.

The Fabulous Meat and Fish Company was founded in January 2017 and started supplying meat products to restaurateurs such as Andrew Pern and establishments such as the Pheasant Hotel in Harome, Maison de la Vin in Malton and a number of delicatessens.

Taking over the Helmsley butcher's shop means an expansion for the former “tiny cottage industry” with a growing business with further staff.

The company has also recently won two medals at the British Charcuterie Awards at Blenheim Palace, a bronze got their Coppa which is made from pork from local woodland reared free range pigs, and silver medal for their Hovingham black pudding. Ms Goodwill added they were “determined” to source their produce from the Ryedale and the North York Moors area.

“We’ve been so lucky - our suppliers have all been amazing,” she said. “We are delighted that we can visit the farms and see the high standards of animal welfare and that the food miles are kept to an absolute minimum.

“We are very fortunate to have received a great deal of support from other local farmers and businesses and we hope that all of those trading friends will continue with us as we grow.”