Here at Dugdale Nutrition, we spend every day thinking about animal feed: what goes in, and how it shapes what comes out. So Great British Beef Week is, quite frankly, our favourite week of the year. It gives us the chance to celebrate the entire chain: from the grass in the field, to the compound feeds & specialist products, to the exceptional beef on your plate.
Now in its 16th year, Great British Beef Week runs from 23–30 April 2026 and launched on St George’s Day. And this year, the spotlight is shining firmly on the farm shops and local butchers who connect great British farmers with great British tables.
The story behind Great British Beef Week
Great British Beef Week was born out of a simple but powerful idea: that British beef deserves to be celebrated, and the farmers producing it deserve to be heard.
It was co-founded by Jilly Greed, a Devon beef farmer, and Baroness Minette Batters, former President of the NFU, who together established Ladies in Beef – a voluntary organisation of female beef farmers committed to championing the industry and the people within it.
What started as a grassroots campaign has grown into one of the UK’s most significant food and farming awareness weeks, now backed by a formidable coalition of organisations including the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), Red Tractor, the National Farmers’ Union, and the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution.
Last year alone, the campaign reached over 4.2 million people on social media with farmers, butchers, chefs, and food lovers all joining the conversation.
2026: The year of the farm shop
Each year GBBW has a focus, and 2026 is all about shining a light on the local butchers and farm shops at the heart of Britain’s food chain. As consumer demand for traceable, local, provenance-driven food continues to rise, independent retailers are more important than ever – and this week is their moment.
The heroes behind the beef: Taylors Farm Shop
At Dugdale Nutrition, we’re proud to supply the alkaline feeding system via our sister company Home n’ Dry to Taylor’s that helps produce some of the finest beef in the north of England
Producer Spotlight: Taylors Farm Shop
Taylors Farm Shop is exactly what Great British Beef Week celebrates – a direct connection between farmer and community, where you know exactly where your beef has come from, how the animals have been raised, and who has cared for them every step of the way.
When you buy from Taylors, you’re not just getting incredible beef. You’re supporting a farming family, sustaining the local rural economy, and backing the kind of high-welfare, high-quality farming that makes British beef the envy of the world.
And behind the herd? Cattle getting the nutrition they need to thrive and produce quality beef that ends up on your table.
This week, if you haven’t already, get yourself to your local farm shop or butcher. Ask them about their beef. Find out where it comes from. That conversation is exactly what Great British Beef Week is about.
Recipe: Slow-roast beef brisket with beef dripping potatoes
Brisket is a cut of meat that rewards patience. Low, slow, and deeply flavoured, it’s the kind of Sunday centrepiece that fills the whole house with something that smells amazing. Get yours from local farm shop or your local butcher and ask them to roll and tie it for you.
Sunday Showstopper
- 1.5–2 kg Rolled beef brisket (ask your butcher to tie it)
- 2 tsp Flaked sea salt
- 1 tsp Cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp Mustard powder
- 1 tbsp Cold-pressed oil
- 2 Onions, halved
- 4 Cloves Garlic, crushed
- 2 Sprigs Fresh thyme
- 300ml Beef stock
- 200ml Dark ale or stout
- 1.2kg Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and halved
- 3–4tbsp Beef dripping (ask your butcher)
- 4 Sprigs Fresh rosemary
- 1 tsp Flaked sea salt
Method
- Remove the brisket from the fridge 1 hour before cooking. Preheat your oven to 150°C fan / 170°C conventional.
- Mix the salt, pepper, and mustard powder together. Rub all over the brisket, then drizzle with rapeseed oil and rub again so everything coats evenly.
- Heat a large heavy-bottomed casserole or roasting tin over a high flame. Sear the brisket for 3–4 minutes each side until deeply browned all over. Don’t rush this, the colour equals flavour.
- Nestle the onions, garlic and thyme around the meat. Pour in the stock and ale. The liquid should come roughly a third of the way up the brisket. Cover tightly with a lid or foil.
- Roast for 4–5 hours until the meat is completely tender and yielding when pressed. Check every 90 minutes and add a splash of water if the liquid reduces too much.
- About 45 minutes before the brisket is done, parboil the potatoes for 8 minutes, drain well, and shake in a colander to rough up the edges. Melt the dripping in a roasting tray in the oven until smoking hot, then add the potatoes, rosemary, and salt. Roast at 200°C for 40–45 minutes, turning once, until shatteringly crisp.
- Rest the brisket uncovered for at least 20–25 minutes before carving. Slice thickly against the grain. Serve with the roasting juices spooned over and the dripping potatoes alongside with some seasonal veg.
Dugdale tip: The quality of your beef makes all the difference here. Brisket from a well-nourished, well-reared animal will have beautiful marbling, and that fat is what keeps the meat moist and flavoursome over the long cook. Ask Taylors Farm Shop, or any butcher, about the breed and how the cattle are raised.
How to get involved this week
Great British Beef Week runs until 30 April 2026. Here’s how you can play your part:
Buy British, buy local
Head to your nearest farm shop or independent butcher. Ask where the beef comes from. Choose British. If you’re near Taylors Farm Shop then this is an excellent place to start!
Cook something special
Try our recipe above and share your creation. Tag us, tag your farm shop, and use #GBBW2026 to join the national conversation.
Spread the word
Tell someone why you choose British beef. Every conversation helps support the farmers, the families, and the communities behind one of Britain’s greatest food traditions.
From all of us at Dugdale Nutrition – happy Great British Beef Week. Here’s to the farmers, the feed, the farm shops, and the beef. 🐄
Want to know more about Dugdale Nutrition?
We’ve been supporting British livestock farmers with quality animal feed and nutrition expertise for over 175 years. Get in touch to find out how we can help your herd:
01200 420200
Bellman Mill, Salthill, Clitheroe, Lancashire BB7 1QW
For grass seed advice and reseed planning, our sister company RBC Agri can help you build a sward that supports your farm from the ground up.
Contact your DN Specialist or use the contact details above to get in touch.
