The Very Best Turkeys, for the Very Best Christmas
Every year, since 1957, the Copas family has dedicated their lives to one very, very special goal; rearing the finest flock of free range, 14-day game-hung artisan turkeys in the UK, just for Christmas.
With a focus on ethical farming and a proud heritage in traditional production methods, Copas Traditional Turkeys are truly farm to table. Sourced from the best independent British hatcheries these pampered birds are matured to 26 weeks – three times as long as most – and free to roam through rolling meadows and ancient Cherry Orchards in the Cookham countryside, foraging at their leisure.
The story of how Copas Traditional Turkeys came to life is a typically British one. In 1957, Tom Copas Senior was just eighteen years old and in need of a project to keep him out of mischief, he found the answer in a gift of 153 turkeys from his father. A hobby soon turned into a small business which in turn became Copas Traditional Turkeys – since then, Tom has been producing over 30,000 very, very special Christmas turkeys each year. The true testimony of this hobby-cum-profession was observed when Tom Copas Senior was awarded the prestigious Life-Time Achievement Award at the British Turkey Awards 2013.
Today, it is Tom’s children who take the driving seat at the family business, though Tom Senior is always somewhere on the farm, still causing mischief.
Tom Copas Junior reached out to comment on the immense heritage that he has inherited, and on the continuing future of the Copas family business.
““Christmas dinner is such a special event – more of a ceremony than simple meal – and it is a real privilege to be producing something that is the centre piece of dining tables all over the country.
“My father has been here at King’s Coppice farm, rearing turkeys for nearly six decades – that’s an awful lot of experience! He’s passed all that knowledge onto my siblings and I, and we’re still driven by the same values and traditional methods.
“We are very proud of our heritage, our great team that care passionately about the flock, and the incredible taste and quality of the of the turkeys we sell.
“As the company has grown, we’ve been delighted to have the support of some of the biggest names in food including London’s top Michelin starred restaurants, outlets such as Selfridges and Harvey Nichols, the latter of whom we’ve teamed up for a click-and-collect service this year, as well as customers from all over the world who buy from us direct every Christmas.”
Under the caring and watchful eye of Kes, the Copas Turkey dog, 30,000 turkeys are reared at the Copas family’s farm and include up to 25 different traditional British varieties. The flocks have plenty of time to develop a lovely layer of fat, which combined with a contented lifestyle leads to an exceptional flavour. These Free Range Bronze & Free Range Organic turkeys roam outdoors for 80% of their lives, which is longer than the vast majority of other free range turkeys in the UK – this bears evidence to the
The turkeys are then game-hung to mature for up to 14 days – again, this is twice as long as most other turkeys, which allows plenty of time for the natural enzymes in the bird to bring out the flavour of the turkey and tenderise the meat before being hand-plucked. These traditional methods produce the unbeatable flavours and smooth texture of over 30,000 Christmas feasts.
After dedicating six decades to the festive season, the Copas family knows a thing or two about preparing for Christmas. Their award winning accompaniments range, developed in the family kitchen, perfectly complements the delicious turkeys making for an altogether perfect Christmas feast.
Some of Copas Turkeys’ recommended accompaniments include:
o Cranberry sauce with a hint of rosemary
o Granny’s Chutney with green tomatoes
o Coronation sauce with apricots
o Traditional gravy with cracked black pepper
o Sage and onion stuffing with red onion
o British goose fat from free-range geese
o NEW Bread Sauce with Chives & Croutons
All of this culminates in Copas Turkeys exceeding the standards set by the TFTA (Traditional Farmfresh Turkey Association) and many other assurance schemes operating in the industry.
Copas Traditional Turkeys arrive beautifully packaged in a box with a pop-up timer, family recipe cards, sprig of rosemary and prepared giblets. The range includes whole turkeys (4kg to 10kg), turkey crowns, turkey breast, chickens, and a range of accompaniments including ready-made Luxury Traditional Gravy, Bread Sauce, Cranberry, Chutney, Coronation Sauce and Sage & Onion Stuffing.
Copas Turkeys are available from Harvey Nichols, Selfridges, Britain’s best butchers, independent food retailers nationwide, and online at www.copasturkeys.co.uk from £60, plus delivery.
01628 499980
Wild Card
Phillipa Hill / Ellie Ashdown,
[email protected] / [email protected]
01872 243 560
