Oaten Biscuit

Our Oaten biscuit was the original Duchy Original – it was our first product back in 1992. Back then we had a simple idea: to prove that if we made food the right way – slowly, carefully and naturally – then people would pay for it.

We grew the wheat and oats ourselves on Home Farm, where the rich soil helps give wheat and oats a great flavour, before sending them just down the road to Shipton Mill, where they were stone-ground.

[Image Missing]The tricky bit was getting the perfect recipe and flavour.

Rather than start from scratch, we teamed up with Walkers Shortbread, who’ve been making shortbread in the Scottish Highlands for over 100 years. What they don’t know about biscuits isn’t worth knowing.

Even then, it took us 18 months to get the final recipe. That’s a lot of biscuit tastings. The result was our classic Oaten biscuit with its thin, crisp texture and a unique flavour balance.

As the biscuits have grown in popularity, we’ve expanded the number of farms we use for wheat and oats. True to our roots, though, they’re all from organic farms in the UK and most grow a traditional variety of wheat called Maris Widgeon – which grows unusually tall.

As a result, it gives protection to native birds and insects while preventing weeds without the need for pesticides.

Of course, all of this wouldn’t count for anything if the end product wasn’t worth the effort. Try some with cheese or sweet spreads, though, and tell us they’re not delicious!