History
Since 1979, Thorner’s has been delivering high-quality products across the South West. Discover the journey from its beginnings in butchery to becoming an award winner at The British Pie Awards.
The Thorner’s story began in 1979 when Jon Thorner (Founder) returned to the family business at Bridge Farm. Jon started butchering beef, pork and lamb for local farmers from the family’s abattoir. Jon built a strong reputation in the local community for selling high-quality meat from local producers at affordable prices. Throughout the Eighties, the business grew significantly, culminating in 1990 with the construction of Bridge Farm Shop (now Hunt's Food Hall). The shop was designed around a large butchery counter and resembled Jon’s vision of creating products from locally sourced high-welfare meat, ensuring the best possible taste.​
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In the mid to late Nineties, Jon built the butchery production unit where we currently operate from. This enabled him to grow the catering and retail business and support the Thorner's franchises, which at the time were in Farrington Gurney, Beckington, Frampton Cotteral, Hare Hatch and Mortimer’s near Reading.​
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The Homemade Division began in 2005, established by John Emery (Development Chef), who had previously run the Queens Arms in Wraxall for Jon Thorner. The business initially focused on making the highest quality pies and then moved on to producing quiches, pork pies, sausage rolls, scotch eggs and ready meals. In 2019, the Thorner's ‘Vegan Curried Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Pie’ won ‘Supreme Champion’ at the ‘The British Pie Awards’ in Melton Mowbray. This was the first time in the event's 11-year history that a vegan pie had taken the top prize!
As Jon approached retirement, he wanted to work with a local business that maintained the Thorner's brand and adopted its vision. In May 2018 Jon sold half the business to Thomas and Richard Hunt. Thomas worked closely with Jon running the business until he retired in June 2019 and in July 2021 Thorner's became part of Hunt's Food Group who now exclusively distribute the brand into catering and retail customers across the South of England.
​Still to this day we carry out Jon Thorners vision of supplying high quality and accredited locally sourced meat that makes the best tasting products!