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Rose and Tony Palmer, left and right, with staff from W F Chinn, sausage manufacturers, outside their factory at West End, Marsh Lane, Lords Meadow Industrial Estate, Crediton. AQ 4030
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W F Chinn delivery driver, Paul Lee, loading his van to make another delivery of sausages. AQ 4036
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Rose and Tony Palmer of W F Chinn, sausage manufacturers, who are celebrating 25 years running the business in Crediton. AQ 4037
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Tony Palmer, left, of W F Chinn, sausage manufacturers, of Crediton, have sponsored former Exeter Chiefs prop, Wayne Reed, who is returning to Crediton Rugby Club next season as a player coach. AQ 3948
A LOCAL business which manufactures traditional pork sausages using meat sourced from local Westcountry farms is celebrating 25 years under the same ownership.
W F Chinn, sausage manufacturers, of Crediton, has been run by Tony and Rose Palmer since May 1, 1983.
Since then it has increased its production dramatically, produces top-quality sausages and still remains a small, friendly, firm which values its staff and customers.
W F Chinn began in a factory beside the Crediton Inn on Mill Street more than 40 years ago.
Five years ago the business moved from premises near the top of Marsh Lane on the Lords Meadow Industrial Estate to a new purpose-designed factory at West End, just off Marsh Lane.
Tony Palmer trained as a butcher and worked for a cash and carry firm in Exeter. Rose’s parents ran the village shop at Sandford, and it was George and Pauline Smith, the previous owners of Chinn’s, who used to deliver Chinn’s sausages to Rose’s parents at the shop.
When they knew Tony and Rose were getting married, George and Pauline talked to them about taking over their business which had been founded by Mr Chinn, and which they themselves had run for many years.
Tony and Rose were married in August 1982, taking over the business just months later.
The couple have a daughter, Louise, who has helped with the business when required.
Tony and Rose still use the secret recipe established by Mr Chinn with its special ingredients, apart from the meat sourced from local Westcountry farms. The recipe remains a secret.
Chinn’s sausages are well-known and very popular in the area and the business now makes many varieties to suit all tastes.
This includes Cumberland, Gluten-free, Pork and Stilton, Pork and Leek, Pork and Garlic, Chilli Sausage, Pork and Honey, Pork and Mushroom, Chicken Sausages, Steak and Ale and Pork, Tomato and Basil.
The sausages are sold at retail outlets across the South West and locally, can be found at Spar and Landscore Stores in Crediton, Bridge Stores in Bow, Lapford Cross Garage, Bernaville Nurseries, Country Cupboard and Costcutters at Tiverton and Wilkies and Alphington Mini Market in Exeter.
Rose explained: “We pride ourselves on our product.
“We use fresh English meat for our sausages with minimal packaging, which is what our customers want.
“We are a small, family run business, employing six members of staff we value as friends, making sausages for customers across the South West.
“Currently we produce 6,000 lbs of sausages every week, which is an incredible amount compared to the 900 lbs per week we produced when we started.
“We hope customers enjoy our range of sausages and are pleased with how our business expansion plans have progressed since we took over the business 25 years ago.”
“It is amazing to think where the time has gone”, she added.
The factory W F Chinn moved into five years ago has a large production area with vacuum sausage packing machines, an automatic packer, burger maker and other hi-tech equipment.
There is a reception area, staff room, large office and storage.
There is a big dry goods store, where seasonings, etc are kept and there is a large fridge and freezer areas.
Chinns, in addition to supplying the retail trade, can supply a special service for farmers or other customers.
Beef, pork or lamb can be collected, if required, from a local area, and sausages can be produced as specified, to the purchaser’s requirements.
Over the years Chinns have been asked to make many kinds of sausages including catering sausages, chipolatas, cocktail sausages and burgers.
They have even made alligator and crocodile sausages as well as wild boar and rabbit with blackberry!
W F Chinn regularly supports local events and organisations in the community. It recently became the sponsor of former Exeter Chiefs prop, Wayne Reed, who is returning to Crediton Rugby Club next season as a player coach.
Rose is also well-known locally and recently established a slimming group which meets at the Ship Hotel, Crediton.
Why not pop into one of the local outlets to purchase some of W F Chinn’s tasty sausages to see how good they are for yourself?
alan-quick@crediton
couriernewspaper.co.uk