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Frozen with love
Join Ashley Davis , Chief Commercial Officer , as she narrates COOK Trading ’ s evolution into a beloved brand
Based in Sittingbourne , Kent COOK Trading ( COOK ) is a manufacturer and retailer of frozen ready meals founded in 1997 . Its meals and puddings have garnered scores of Great Taste Awards and can be found in hundreds of independent shops all over the UK . Ashley Davis , Chief Commercial Officer , introduces us to the company ’ s charming history .
“ COOK ’ s journey began in 1997 when Ed Perry and Dale Penfold opened a shop in Farnham , Surrey , selling frozen meals handmade in an old pizza kitchen . The business is now run by Ed and his sister , Rosie Brown , who are co-CEOs . Dale , the original chef , retired a few years ago . Ed and Rosie credit their mother , Anne , as the inspiration behind COOK . When they were growing up , Anne would batch cook meals at the weekend and freeze portions in ice cream tubs , enabling the family to enjoy a homemade dinner during the week when there was little time to cook from scratch . Ed and Rosie ’ s parents went on to open a few coffee shops and a successful bakery that sold frozen handmade cakes . Seeing how home baking could be done at scale and remembering his mother ’ s ice cream tubs , Ed figured the same must be possible for savory meals .
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