Local Food Heroes - Stephen Wheeler speaks to Harry Robertson
MY local food hero this week is Harry Robertson, owner of The Four Anjels Bakery located just outside the beautifully unspoilt north Cotswold village of Blockley.
After 40 years wheeling and dealing in the city of London, Harry thought he had earned his retirement in the Cotswolds, but a series of events led Harry to first investing in, and then owning, The Four Anjels, named after the master baker’s four granddaughters.
Now Harry says he is working harder than ever hand-crafting and selling drop dead gorgeous shortbread biscuits and heavenly cakes to the likes of Waitrose, Selfridges, Harrods, leading Christmas hamper companies and
Cheltenham-based Creed Foodservice, which markets The Four Anjels
products to in-store restaurants and caterers.
The Four Anjels uses 30 tons of flour and 10 tons of butter a year to make over half a million shortbreads, flapjacks, brownies, cherry slices and fruit cakes. Harry’s recipes don’t include any additives or preservatives – just the best ingredients money can buy. I tried a shortbread Christmas Tree dipped in luxurious Belgian chocolate, which the Four Anjels has developed for garden centre foodhalls, and an Italian biscotti which a chain of coffee shops is now buying from this Cotswold gem. The Four Anjels is also now developing a host of organic and Fairtrade biscuits and cakes. Harry told me his greatest
challenge has been to ride out the ups and downs of running a small business.
“Getting on a train, commuting to the city and dealing in Government
bonds was easy compared with fruit cakes,” Harry told me, but he is now obviously smitten by The Four Anjels.
Since taking over Harry has achieved the coveted British Retail Consortium quality accreditation, which is the passport into the buying offices of the largest UK retailers, and has gathered an impressive array of awards from the likes of Taste of the West, The Great Taste Awards and Food and Drink Expo. Harry and his partner Maggie are optimistic for the future. They have identified exciting opportunities for growth which may see them and their 10 members of staff moving to larger premises in the not-too-distant future. The Four Anjels is loudly proclaiming the message that great taste, not necessarily great size, brings sweet success.
To see the actual article, click here
14th November 2009
Follow us