Scrutton Bland have almost one hundred years’ experience (not quite as long as Tiptree!) advising local businesses on tax, accounting, insurance, employee benefits and corporate matters. For more information please contact Sharon Gravener , Corporate Partner at sharon. gravener@scruttonbland.co.uk or tel 01473 267060 .
There are many wild and wonderful jams to be found for sale, but are there any other fruits that are really not suitable for jams and preserves? It is unusual to find a fruit that is not suitable to be made into a jam or to be preserved in some other way. At Tiptree, we have lots of traditional jams but we’re also innovative, and have recently trialled growing the superfruit Sea Buckthorn which has a sour and acquired taste. We have yet to find a use for it! Little Scarlet is one of the most famous of the Tiptree jams, and is famously James Bond’s favourite conserve. Can you say how you have managed to cultivate this notoriously difficult variety of strawberry, and can it be grown in a domestic garden? As far as we are aware, we are the only ones in the world to commercially cultivate Little Scarlet. It has taken a great deal of time, patience and careful management of the plant stock to ensure that we have sufficient fruit for the jam factory to make Tiptree Little Scarlet Strawberry Conserve. As far as we know, this unique strawberry plant is not available to the domestic gardener and there are other varieties that will be easier to grow.
Employees of Wilkin & Sons control almost half the company shares through a trust. Why has the firm taken this approach, and how has it benefited the workforce? In 1989, it was agreed to create an Employee Benefit Trust (EBT), for the benefit of the whole workforce. Peter Wilkin, great-grandson of the company founder Arthur Charles Wilkin, identified a number of reasons for the decision to embrace Employee Ownership, including the need to protect the independence of the company, and also continuity planning. The Wilkin family have long held the view that employees as well as shareholders should have a say in the company’s affairs. There was also a feeling that employee ownership would have direct business benefits: Peter Wilkin explains: “There is good evidence that employees who work in a company in which they have a stake are more motivated and committed than those who do not.” Autumn is the traditional season for preserving the summer harvest ready for the winter months. What are the best autumn fruits to make seasonal jams and preserves? At Tiptree we harvest fruit for more than eight months of the year. In September and October we will be picking the most delicious Victoria plums, greengages, damsons and quince that will be made into fine preserves. Popular autumn jellies are crab apple jelly and also blackberry jelly.
When it comes to jams and preserves, Wilkin & Sons is one of the UKs best loved brands and has recently added a selection of fruit-based gins to its product range. Adviser spoke to the Tiptree based jam maker to find out more about them and their plans for the future.
In the early years the company shipped most of its jam to Australia. Why was that, and how much of the produce now goes for export? An Australian merchant met the founder Mr Arthur Charles Wilkin and bought the whole of the first batch of strawberry conserve made in June 1885. We now export a wide range of preserves to more than 65 countries: as an example Strawberry Conserve and Lemon Curd is very popular with our American consumers. The expansion of the railway system in Victorian Britain was undoubtedly a help in bringing in outside workers to Tiptree. Do you think that the limitation on migrant workers following Brexit will affect production capacity? The construction of the branch line between Kelvedon and Tollesbury came at a time when the Victorians were expanding the rail network across the country. From the late 1800s the majority of the permanent factory and farm workers came from Tiptree and the surrounding villages. The proposed limitation on access to seasonal overseas farm workers may make it more challenging to secure a full workforce on the farm in the future.
Wilkin & Sons now exports all over the world, but the firm has always had its roots in Tiptree. How did this small village in North Essex become the centre for a leading brand? The Wilkin family has lived and farmed in Tiptree since 1757, growing various crops including fruit, which suited the land around the heath. It was in 1885 that Mr Arthur Charles Wilkin made the first strawberry jam from his fruit and his success led to the development of a small factory which expanded over the years to the current factory. Tiptree is within the driest county in the country, meaning that water is of extreme importance, therefore we have invested in new systems and harvested rain provides 80% of the water needed for the crops.
Reader Competition Adviser readers can win a Little Scarlet hamper, courtesy of Tiptree. This traditional picnic basket contains a selection of six full-size jars of delicious jams, marmalade and chutney, including Little Scarlet Strawberry Conserve. The perfect present! To win this fabulous Tiptree hamper, simply answer this question:
Send your answer together with your name and contact telephone number to adviser@scruttonbland.co.uk The competition is open to UK residents only. Entries close at 5pm on 1st December and Scrutton Bland’s decision is final. The hamper will be sent to your UK address. Your details will not be passed on to any third party outside of the Scrutton Bland Group.
Which famous fictional character said that Little Scarlet was his favourite conserve? Sherlock Holmes Hercule Poirot James Bond
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