Lakeland Herdwick is the name given to meat derived from sheep bred out of pure-bred flocks of Herdwick ewes and rams that have been born, raised and slaughtered in the County of Cumbria. The difference in taste of Herdwick lamb was demonstrated by a research project conducted for the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food undertaken in the late 1990s. This research demonstrated that Lakeland Herdwicks were shown to have “superior” flavour and “high levels of eating quality” when compared to standard commercial cross-bred lambs. It's amazing that recent science was needed to confirm this when Herdwick was served at the Queen's Coronation dinner - in more recent times we seem to have forgotten just how good Herdwick meat is.
Lakeland Herdwick achieved Protected Designated of Origin (PDO) status in 2012. This is a European Standard of Food Protection which ensures the product’s quality, provenance and full traceability. PDO status ensures that you know what you are buying, where it came from and how it was produced. It's basically a certificate of authenticity that also helps to protect a centuries old traditional farming system. You can download a full copy of the Lakeland Herdwick PDO Specification here
The Herdy Company have created this brand mark which is now owned and managed by the Herdwick Sheep Breeders Association.This means that it is easy to identify genuine Herdwick products in shops, cafes and restaurants. Wherever you see this sign you can buy safe in the knowledge that you are supporting the farmers who work tirelessly to produce such a high quality product.