Our History
In 1526 an enterprising young trader called William Strickland imported six wild turkeys into England, and it was Henry VIII that made eating turkey at Christmas fashionable in the royal courts.
1971
Our Story Starts…
…in 1971 when my father Derek Kelly, a respected figure in the turkey industry, broke away from the corporate world to start the family business, known today as ‘Kelly Turkeys’ and ‘Farmgate Hatcheries’.
1971
Humble Beginings
It all began in Danbury, Essex, with a plot purchased by my grandfather on his retirement, followed by this smallholding in Maldon.
1971
The White Era
My father’s goal in the 1970’s was to produce and rear turkeys. He believed, and rightly so, that people would be prepared to pay more on Christmas Day for something genuinely better. As such, my parents set about breeding white turkeys for flavour and eating qualities.
1978
The Leading Lady
My Mother, Mollie Kelly, changed perceptions of how to cook turkey, demonstrating her revolutionary cooking methods to the press at home. She continued her quest to cook the ultimate turkey and her cooking demonstrations and talks were soon in demand nationwide. Turkey was our staple diet.
1979
White Success
Our white breeds were winning shows across the country for flavour, quality and meat texture, however, the onslaught of supermarkets with cheap frozen birds, alongside the demise of the butcher, meant that we were a fledgling business supplying a declining market – not a good place to be!
1980s
…The Revolutionary Years
The dynamics of the market place were changing fast, London wholesale markets were oversupplied and the Christmas turkey market crashed. The first three years of the 1980’s were the worst on record for Christmas turkeys and put our business into crisis – putting on a brave face and working hard was not going to save the business.
1981
Our TV Debut
We started to enter the world of television, as we were experts in our field. My parents, Mollie and Derek Kelly show how to truss a turkey on ‘The Generation Game’ – the BBC’s No.1 game show on British TV.
1982
A Gift to the Falklands
Sixty fertile turkey eggs were flown to the Falkland Islands to help restock the islands resources, as turkeys had completely disappeared during the war.
1984
HATCHING A PLAN
In 1983 I studied poultry Science in Scotland and whilst driving home with my father at the end of term, we were discussing the traumas affecting our business. My mother had always loved the rare breeds we kept so I suggested maybe we should differentiate ourselves from the loss-leading mass produced white turkeys, and begin breeding the original bronze turkey that originated from Mexico.
1984
Designer stubble
The following year, my father travelled the country buying up the last remaining flocks of pure bronze turkeys. News about what we were doing soon spread amongst our farming friends – people thought we were crazy. By the 1950’s, Bronze turkey had almost completely been replaced by rapid growing, white feathered breeds that were considered to be more appealing on the supermarket shelf – at the expense of flavour.
1986
Treading on egg shells
All may have looked rosy, but under the surface, things were very different. Maintaining a breeding farm is expensive, and whilst our bronze turkeys were making headlines, we weren’t selling enough to make financial sense – the bank was getting very twitchy! In our heart of hearts we knew that what we were doing was right.
1989
Family Flock
Working hard against adversity, we were not going to be beaten, and continued with our journey. This picture of my family featured in the Daily Telegraph.
1989
Our first famous friend
Delia Smith visited our farm in 1989 and we became the turkey of choice in her new book ‘Delia’s Christmas’. Suddenly, butchers were being asked by their customers for our KellyBronze turkeys. They were phoning in their droves – we could see the light at the end of the tunnel.
1990
Daredevils
David Lidgate, the leading butcher in Holland Park, was our first customer – in my view, he is a visionary! We are getting a reputation of mavericks, and the press became interested in what we were doing.
1991
Free Range Mavericks
Not only were we introducing the bronze turkey back into the market, but we also started to grow them free-range. Our colleagues in the industry thought we were Maverick – and crazy!
1992
Bred to be Wild
We were making headlines and our business was starting to grow. We purchased this redundant dairy farm, which had become the hearth of our Christmas turkey operation.
1994
We made it to No. 10
My parents, Derek & Mollie Kelly, presented a free range turkey to John Major, to be enjoyed by his family at home on Christmas day.
1995
Father & Son Awarded
Rupert Chalmers was a founder of the British Turkey Federation in 1951 and a pioneer of the British Turkey Industry. In 1977, after his death, the Rupert Chalmers Award was created for “Outstanding contribution and commitment to the turkey industry over a significant period.” My father Derek Kelly, received the award in 1995, and myself in 2007. We are the only father and son to be given this award.
1997
Turkeys get HIPP in Germany
1997 was the start of organically farming our specialist breed in Germany with my very good friends Henk Coolen and Martin Bohn.
1997
Britain’s Best
“The KellyBronze turkey is the perfect example of Speciality British Food with great attention paid to quality and flavour” BBC Good Food magazine
1998
We made it to the palace
“Turkey Producer Derek Kelly received an MBE from the Queen for services to the farm fresh Poultry Industry. A life long champion of traditional farm fresh turkeys and known for reintroducing the bronze turkey.” World Poultry
2001
Organic for the prince
We were proud to be appointed by Prince Charles’ Organic food brand, Duchy Originals, to farm their Christmas Turkeys.
2004
It’s a pleasure going to work
“KellyBronze turkeys are the best of the best, the most joyful treat. Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a KellyBronze turkey.” – Jamie Oliver
2004
A New Chapter
When I officially took over the helm of the turkey business, my father Derek Kelly embarked on a beef enterprise – Derek Kelly Beef
2008/09
A record breaking highlight!
2008 Guinness world record for plucking, televised on Gordon Ramsay’s Christmas Special 2009 Guinness world record for carving, set at the KellyBronze 25th Birthday party.
2011
Awarded
The KellyBronze was the first turkey to receive three gold stars in the Great Taste Awards.
2012
There’s a doctor in the house
I was granted an Honorary Doctorate Degree by College Patron Alan Titchmarsh on behalf of the University of Essex, in recognition of my services to the agricultural industry.
2014
Spreading our wings
We brought a farm in the foothills of the Blueridge mountains in Virginia, with woodland and pasture for rearing our unique KellyBronze turkeys for the U.S. market. We dry-pluck, hang and prepare birds in the same way we produce KellyBronze in the UK.
2014
Celebrating 30 Years
To celebrate our 30th birthday, we took a group of our friends, customers and press to the woods, to party with the turkeys.
2015
Don’t overcook it!
After years of telling you not to over cook your turkey…we overcooked our farm! “We will be ready for Christmas!” – Paul Kelly
2015
A HUGE HELP FROM OUR FRIENDS
With hard work and the help of many, we were ready for Christmas, amazingly, 18 weeks after the fire. Thank you to everyone that made it possible.
2016
THE KBXS BRED TO BE EXTRA SMALL
We launched the smallest breed of turkey in the world, bred by us for a small Christmas gathering, so that nobody has to miss out on the whole bird experience. Half the size and all the flavour.
2017
FEDERAL USDA LICENSE
We were granted a license from the United States Department of Agriculture to sell our wares in the USA. Walking the streets of New York takes me back 30 years when I first started doing this in London.
2018
PRESS EVENT
Jamie Oliver kindly invited the KellyBronze team to host a press event for Christmas at his impressive north London HQ.
2020
BAD FRIDAY…
On Good Friday, twelve fire engines were called to the KellyBronze processing facility as flames engulfed the same building that burnt down 5 years earlier. The priority was to protect the turkeys that were in the barns next to the inferno. Fortunately no livestock were harmed.
2020
WE’D LIKE TO PROPOSE A TOAST!
In June 2020 Derek Kelly reached another milestone and celebrated his 90th Birthday. So on Christmas morning, while your turkey is roasting in the oven, please take a moment to raise a glass “To Mollie,” because in all of Derek’s 90 years, he still hasn’t cooked a turkey!
2020
COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to dramatic shifts in consumer behaviour. KellyBronze had to work hard to meet ever-evolving customer experience requirements in order to win and remain relevant during a year of lockdowns, social distancing and “Christmas Bubbles”. The first click and collect Christmas turkey drive-thru in the country.
2021
FIFTY YEARS AND COUNTING…
50 years in business and a third generation of Kellys now proud to call themselves farmers, we feel confident KellyBronze Turkeys will continue for years to come as it always has; both as a family run business with an outstanding team and through our breading program, the guardian of the UK’s pure bronze turkey, the KellyBronze. The success of our organisation isn’t about one person, it’s about all the great people we have working together as one team.
2022
AVIAN FLU SET KILLER BLOW TO TURKEY FARMERS
Paul Kelly told Members of Parliament that many turkey farmers are no longer economically viable. He also warned that without a proper compensation scheme, many farmers in the UK would not feel confident producing turkeys for next Christmas.
