When you look at choosing our free-range Kentish turkey, local artisan cheese or authentic Italian Panettone, there's a lot to consider beyond the price.
Behind every product is a story. It's the time and care that goes into rearing turkeys with room to roam. It's the small-scale, thoughtful production of a local farm. And it's the traditional methods, nurtured over generations, that put quality and taste first.
This Christmas we're sharing the stories behind three of our favourite makers, so you know the difference your choice to shop with us makes...
Kent Turkeys Free Range Turkeys
If you've ever wondered why Kent Turkeys taste as they do, the answer starts with the owner, Tony Fleck. His extensive around-the-world travels - via Canada, Asia, Afghanistan, and back via Europe - showed him how turkeys could be farmed, and he returned to Kent with one desire, to do it himself.
The secret is his dedicated care, the chicks start their lives in a cosy barn, and then roam on grass pastures, foraging for bugs and berries, with clean straw, fresh water and food waiting for them every evening. No antibiotics, no additives, just slow-reared birds that allowed to be turkeys.
And the difference shows in the taste. They develop the natural fat, and mature carcass that a fast-reared turkey simply doesn't get the chance to build.
Well reared, well cared for, and with an superior taste and texture - why would you choose anything else?
Pre-order your Kent Turkey
Kingcott Dairy Kentish Blue Cheese
Step aside Stilton, and make way for our local Kentish Blue...
This hand-crafted cheese starts life in the clover-filled fields of the family-run Kingcott Dairy Farm in Staplehurst, Kent.
Owners Steve and Karen value quality over quantity and believe that happy, relaxed cows produce the best milk (filled with protein and buttermilk) needed for a truly great cheese.
The herd is cared for and milked by the family, and the produce then travels just 10 metres to be handmade into the distinctive, full flavoured, firm textured Kentish Blue.
If Stilton is your usual go to for your cheeseboard, why not try something closer to home this year?
Buy Local - Choose Kentish Blue
Vergani Panettone
Our Macknade panettone is steeped in tradition, baked by the Vergani family in the heart of Milan for over 75 years.
Vergani always source the best, never cutting corners…the yeast used to make the leaven is fed and nurtured daily, they use butter where other use margarine, high quality dried fruit and nuts, and in line with their welfare beliefs, only free-range eggs.
The result is a soft, fluffy fruit sponge with a delicate texture and perfumed flavour - perfect for gifting and sharing with family and friends this Christmas.
A little serving tip for the adults, dip and sip with a fragrant sweet wine!
Shop our Classic House Panettone
Choose something special for your Christmas table this year - all these and more are available to order now for collection in-store at Macknade. 👇
