Witham MP, Priti Patel, was in Tolleshunt Major today visiting three outstanding local businesses with local councillors Maddie Thompson and Elaine Bamford.
Priti visited the world famous Tiptree jam maker Wilkin and Sons at their distribution centre, leading milkshake supplier Shaken Udder, and high quality pork producers Wicks Manor Farm.
Wilkin and Sons export their jam all over the world through their distribution centre and are looking to extend their range of products and expand into new markets.
Shaken Udder, which originally started as a small company selling milkshake products at festivals, is now celebrating its 10 year retail anniversary and sales have been increasing annually.
Wicks Manor Farm is a local supplier of high quality pork products and the farm has recently been named both Essex Producer of the Year and East of England Co-op Producer of the Year.
Following her visits, Priti said:
“It was great to be Tolleshunt Major today visiting three outstanding local businesses that are going from strength to strength.
“Wilkin and Sons, Shaken Udder and Wicks Manor Farm are all leading suppliers of their products and it was great to chat with them all to hear more about their future growth and expansion plans.
“Essex is the County of entrepreneurs and across the Witham constituency we have many brilliant businesses.
“I will be meeting with more inspiring businesses across my constituency in the coming months and I look forward to working closely with them all to support their growth and expansion plans, which will also create more jobs for the area.”
Cllr. Maddie Thompson said:
"Elaine and I were very glad to have the opportunity to organise the visits with Priti and meet local firms together. The Maldon District is home to a wide range of exciting and innovative businesses, and several of these are in our Ward of Tolleshunt D'Arcy. Those we visited today are based on farming, which is still the backbone of many communities in the northern part of the District, and provide work for many local people that gives them a sense of pride and belonging to something very real.”