Sponsored by: JG Animal Health

The Nixon family

W. Nixon & Sons LTD, Cheshire

THE Nixons have been running a business from Outwood Farm, on the outskirts of Manchester, for the past 85 years.

Today, in addition to 24 hectares (60 acres) on the farm, they have 24ha (60 acres) rented nearby and a 121ha (300-acre) beef farm in Congleton.

All meat produced is slaughtered through the family’s abbatoir at Outwood Farm, where there is also a large butchers, farm shop and tearooms, an indoor play area and pet food shop selling by-products from the butchers and slaughterhouse.

In addition, the business offers outside catering and children’s birthday parties. In total, the business regularly employs 20 staff and 10 family members.”

As well as producing beef, the family has up to 800 store lambs and buys-in locally produced lambs and pigs to slaughter in the abattoir.

Part-owner and general manager of the retail side of the business Julie Egglestone, who is part of the third generation of the Nixon family to run the business, says:

“Over the last 20 years, we have embraced the general public, but we know we are competing with supermarkets, so we have to offer the whole package.”

Direction

She is also all too aware the next generation needs to be thinking of the direction to take the business in.

“I make a big point of including them in the costings of things so they can understand things better. I have started saying to them ‘in 10 years you need to be running things and we will come and help you’.”