Q1 2021

88 | Q1 2021 Jan21280 Passion For Food Founded in 2009, Mr. Duck Ltd is an artisan food manufacturer specialising in duck products. Following its well- deserved success in the Greater London Enterprise Awards 2020, we got in touch with Thomas Maieli to find out more. In every sense of the word, Mr. Duck Ltd are true artisans committed to producing high-quality specialty food. To start, Thomas provides a brief overview of the firm and offers more insight into its clientele. “In addition to our location here in London, we have a farm in France where the duck is grown and then imported to the UK. Typically, after transforming the products we supply our free-range duck all over the UK working with butchers, delis, wholesalers, caterers, restaurants and privately through our website. While bringing high-quality products to the British public, we like to know where they are coming from and manage all the steps from the breeding to the cooked and finished product.” Working in the capital brings plenty of competition to the table, however as Thomas goes on to explain, the firm are well placed to remain at the forefront of the industry given the fact its closest rivals have to import the final product from France. “By manufacturing our products here in London, we receive faster responsivity for deliveries and adapt ourselves to the different branches of customers.” To ensure its customers are provided with the best possible service, showing a passion for food is a necessity when it comes to recruitment as Thomas points out. “Here at Mr. Duck Ltd we are all foodies, so unsurprisingly any new recruits must have similar interests. As a family, we listen to the customer to perfect our services and a passion for food in this regard can be highly advantageous.” Despite the firm losing half of its customers due to COVID-19, the team were able to prosper in other ways as Thomas explains further. “With restaurant and hotels closing, we lost 50% of our customer base. However, in response we dealt more with butchers and delis whilst also continuing with our marketing to get more sales from private customers.” Finally, Thomas discusses the main benefits of the firm’s location before sharing some of its plans for 2021 and beyond. “As a London based business, the area offers a great amount of talent in the food manufacturing arena. Moving forward when people naturally leave the business we will not be struggling for replacements. In 2021, we will be developing new products and in particular focusing on chicken and beef. Aside from manufacturing, we plan to improve our website so customers will be able to find products easier.” Company: Mr. Duck Ltd Contact: Thomas Maieli Website: www.mrduck.co.uk