Waitrose Duchy Organic facts for kids

Waitrose Duchy Organic is a special brand of organic food. You can find it in Waitrose supermarkets across the United Kingdom. This brand is a team-up between Waitrose and a company called Duchy Originals Limited. King Charles III, when he was the Prince of Wales, started Duchy Originals in 1990. The company gets its name from the Duchy of Cornwall, which are lands managed by the Prince of Wales.

History of the Brand

A bottle of ale from the Duchy Originals brand, 2012

The idea for Duchy Originals began in 1990. It was a way to sell organic food grown on King Charles III's Highgrove House estate. The very first product was oaten biscuits. At first, these products were sold in fancy stores like Harrods.

During the 1990s, Duchy Originals started appearing in farm shops. By the 2000s, many major UK supermarkets sold a selection of their products. Waitrose became their biggest customer. By 2008, sales had raised over £7 million for The Prince of Wales's Charitable Fund.

Around 2009, the Duchy Originals business faced some money problems. So, in September 2009, they made a special deal with Waitrose. From August 2010, the products were relaunched as "Duchy Originals from Waitrose." The number of products grew from about 200 to over 300. Waitrose invested a lot, and sales doubled in the first three years.

By 2013, the brand was selling in 30 countries, including Australia and Japan. In 2015, the name changed again to "Waitrose Duchy Organic." The tradition of donating money to charity continued. King Charles III remained involved with the brand. Even though his lease on Home Farm ended in 2020, he continued organic farming at Sandringham House. The new farmer at Home Farm also continued working with Waitrose Duchy Organic.

How the Brand Works

The company Duchy Originals is owned by The Prince of Wales's Charitable Fund. It started the Duchy Originals brand in 1990 for high-quality organic food and drinks.

The Duchy Originals company has never actually sold or made the products itself. Instead, different retail companies sell and make the Duchy branded items. These companies pay a fee, called royalties, to the Duchy Originals Company. This money then goes to charity.

Herbal Remedies Controversy

In 2008, Duchy Originals worked with a company called Nelsons to create herbal remedies. This caused some debate. Some scientists in the UK said that Duchy Originals was making claims about these remedies that were not proven by science.

Later, a government agency called the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) stepped in. They decided that some of the healing claims were misleading. They asked the company to change its advertisements for two herbal medicines.

Mineral Water

In 2002, the Deeside Water Company began bottling some of its mineral water for the Duchy Originals brand. In 2010, Waitrose changed the product name to "Duchy Originals from Waitrose." Later, in 2016, it became part of Waitrose's premium range.

Giving to Charity

The company Duchy Originals Ltd is fully owned by The Prince of Wales's Charitable Fund. This means it donates its profits to the charity. By 2013, the brand had raised £11 million from its profits for the Prince's Charities.

In Canada, money from sales of Duchy Originals products also goes to charities. These are connected to The Prince's Charities Canada. By 2012, over one million Canadian dollars were being raised each year this way.

Supporting Organic Farming

The Duchy Future Farming programme started in 2013. It works with the Soil Association. This program helps UK farmers and growers learn about organic farming methods. It encourages them to do experiments on their own farms. By 2015, over 3,000 farmers had joined in. There is also a research fund that offers up to £25,000 to support these projects.