Poms’ & Packington
Here at Poms, we pride ourselves on offering only the highest quality dishes to our customers. We gather feedback on each seasonal menu and then work side by side with our amazing chefs to design dishes that are perfect for every occasion. Everything from portion size, plating, and accompaniments is carefully considered. But this would all be in vain if we didn’t start with the most important aspect of every meal: the source of our ingredients.
That’s why we’re so proud to have a longstanding partnership with Packington Free Range. Their products feature in every chicken, pork, and egg dish we serve. Everything from our Full English Breakfasts to our Hollandaise sauce showcases Packington’s produce.
But why Packington? Is it just because they’re local? Is it because they offer free range?
Those definitely weighed in on our decision to partner with Packington but there is so much more to the name. Packington’s level of care and respect for their animals is second to none, netting them several awards and an RSPA certification.
Chicken-Out The Poultry Farm
Our founder, James, frequently visits the farms where Packington cares for their pigs and chickens. From the moment he arrived it, was evident just how much consideration is given to the welfare of the animals. Suited up in a protective onesie and a pair of very trendy sterilised wellies, if he does say so himself, James got to spend some time with the chickens in their huge field. The Packington team explained that the chickens are free to come and go into the hutch as they please and tend to spend most of their time amongst the brush, which also serves as cover for them from predators and changing weather conditions.
Each time James approached the chickens they would quickly disperse. This is because the chickens are left to live their lives as much as possible without human interference. Packington has preserved their natural wild instincts as much as possible, including feeding them a high-quality diet which they can peck at whenever they want. If there’s an animal with an illness or injury, it is separated to ensure the safety of the other animals and, if possible, given everything it needs to get back to health.
All of these measures make for a strong-shelled white egg that rarely cracks during transport. Upon arrival at each Poms location, our team get to enjoy working with the freshest local produce with vibrant orange yolks. You can see it in our poached eggs and Hollandaise sauce. All of this together makes for a low carbon footprint, free-range, responsibly sourced dish. But it doesn’t stop there.
Happy as a Pig in Muck
And we’re happy for a very good reason. Our English Breakfasts are made using sausage, bacon, and eggs all from Packington. That’s why we could never just visit the chickens. We also spent a day at Packington’s pig farm recently. The first thing we noticed was the sheer size of the fields these pigs populate.
Acres of land with barns for shelter, troughs of ever-available food and water, and puddles of mud (topped up by a worker with a hosepipe from time to time) allow the pigs to soak up the sun and the earth at the same time. James walked the fields, chatting to one of Packington’s team members for a few hours. As they walked, the pigs followed them around. The pigs have no fear of people because of how much care and attention the staff give them.
Even with the friendliest of pigs walking right up for a sniff of James’ protective onesie and wellies, he wasn’t allowed to touch or pet them at all. It’s another one of Packington’s rules and measures to ensure the animals are happy, safe, and free of any possible contamination.
Turning the corner, James was greeted by acres of fields populated with pig hutches. James got to see mothers spending time with their children, bathing in mud, and feeding them without worrying about people interfering. Each mother had a huge area provided to them (the mothers had been separated from each other to make sure they don’t feel defensive and injure one another or their infants).
From Packington, Poms’ meat goes directly to the experts at Russells Butchers of Shenstone, where the cuts of meat are prepared with respect and minimal waste. This ensures our products honour as much of the animal as possible even before they reach the restaurant, where they’ll be cooked up for breakfast by our amazing chefs and served with the perfect Silvertree toast, tater tots, and beans.
Packington’s partnership with Poms continues to ensure we only work with the best of the best and, honestly, we wouldn’t have it any other way.
