Chill Chain & Packaging
Behind every neat meat box is a quiet choreography of temperature, timing, and handling. The chill chain — the line of cold storage that connects farm, processor, and household — matters as much as the farming itself. At Fenridge Pasture Meats, the system has been built for steadiness rather than speed: low-volume, repeatable steps that keep quality consistent without overcomplication.
Processing begins in small independent cutting rooms within driving distance of each farm. Once carcasses are hung and dressed, they enter a controlled chamber set between 1°C and 2°C. Time here depends on the cut: beef hangs for at least ten days, lamb for about a week, and pork for slightly less to preserve tenderness. No chemical preservatives are used; temperature and air movement do the work.
From those chillers, jointed cuts travel to our Lincoln packing space in insulated crates. Every crate holds a temperature tag that records readings during transport. If a tag shows a breach above 4°C, the batch is checked immediately and isolated if needed. The rule is simple — we would rather lose a few kilos than risk a single unsafe delivery.
Once in the packing room, each order is built by hand. Staff follow a printed list with weights and customer notes. Ice sleeves are placed between items rather than over them, allowing air to circulate evenly inside the box. Reusable liners made from natural wool fibres replace conventional plastic foam. They hold cold for up to 36 hours and can be returned, composted, or reused as insulation at home.
Labels show the packing date, storage advice, and use-by window. There are no slogans or claims of perfection — just the details people actually need when opening the fridge two days later. Inside each box sits a paper note describing safe defrosting steps and cooking temperatures recommended by the UK Food Standards Agency.
Deliveries are planned in routes that match daylight and local conditions. Rural drops come first in cooler morning hours; town deliveries follow once main roads clear. Drivers check temperature probes before leaving and halfway through their route. When reaching a doorstep, they hand the box directly to a named recipient or leave it in a shaded area previously agreed by phone. Proof of delivery includes a temperature snapshot from the probe at that minute.
Packaging materials are chosen for minimal waste. Cardboard boxes use FSC-certified board, uncoated for easier recycling. Paper tape replaces plastic strapping, and all ink used on labels is water-based. We review suppliers twice a year to confirm traceability and to make sure their production follows the same straightforward ethics we apply to food.
Occasionally customers ask why we do not switch entirely to courier networks or next-day national shipping. The answer lies in control. Our chill chain works because every link is familiar: the same drivers, same equipment, same short distance between pack room and doorstep. Scaling that up would mean surrendering those checks to systems that value speed over context. For us, reliability is measured in steady temperature, not marketing slogans.
Cold air is invisible, but it defines the trust between farm and household. Every time a box arrives firm, cool, and neatly labelled, that invisible chain has held — a quiet success built on patience, record-keeping, and the shared respect for food that deserves careful handling.