Ethical frozen food pioneer, COOK, opens 100th store as sale grow 16%
Independent frozen food pioneer, COOK, has opened its 100th shop in Poynton, Cheshire, continuing its robust growth while other retailers struggle, with sales increasing by 16% in the last 11 months to £109m.
The shop in Poynton, nestled between Stockport and Macclesfield, will create 12 new jobs in the local community. COOK’s 100th store opening coincides with research from the British Retail Consortium that highlights the closure of 6,000 high street shops over the past five years and the collapse of The Body Shop into administration.
Rosie Brown and Ed Perry, siblings and joint CEOs, said COOK’s success is attributed to serving local communities wholeheartedly. Brown stated, “Our ambition for every COOK shop is for it to become the heart of the local community. We empower our shop teams with the tools and freedom to establish deep local connections. We believe that great communities and great shops go hand in hand, enabling us to deliver positive social impact and drive business growth simultaneously.”
COOK’s Community Kitchen initiative supports local events with discounted food and distributes free meals through a charity partner unique to each shop. Launched during the lockdown, it has provided over 400,000 meals to those in need. Moreover, each new shop opening is celebrated with a local hero, nominated by customers for their community contributions. In recognition of COOK’s commitment to communities, it was named Responsible Retailer of the Year at this month’s Retail Week Awards.
The inspiration behind COOK’s award-winning homemade frozen meals comes from Brown and Perry’s mother, Anne, who used to batch cook for the freezer during their childhood. The meals are still prepared by hand using kitchen cupboard ingredients.
Achieving over £100m in sales without partnering with any of the big supermarkets is quite rare in the British grocery sector. Besides its 100 shops, COOK also retails through branded freezers in over 1,000 independent retailers, farm shops, and convenience stores.
Perry highlighted that COOK’s physical shops are outperforming their online counterparts as the surge in online shopping during the Covid pandemic recedes. “We maintain that the high street isn’t dying but evolving. Our brick-and-mortar shops are growing faster than our online platform. People are attracted to shops offering unique products and exceptional hospitality, where they feel welcomed and valued.”
Customers at the Poynton store can explore COOK’s extensive range of award-winning meals and desserts, including classic home-kitchen favourites like Lasagne Al Forno and Chicken, Ham & Leek Pie, alongside premium dishes like Beef Wellington and Moroccan Spiced Lamb Tagine.
COOK is committed to supporting British and local agriculture, fostering long-term relationships with farmers. It exclusively uses higher welfare, British chicken and 100% sustainable seafood in its meals. The company’s dedication to animal welfare has earned it five awards from the charity Compassion In World Farming.
