CHADD’S, the Bude food service, is celebrating its 70th year.

The family was recently joined by family, friends and colleagues at Trethorne Leisure Farm to celebrate the occasion. The outgoing mayor of Bude-Stratton, Peter Moores also attended to offer his congratulations.

The story of Chadd’s is a classic example of how a small family business can grow from humble beginnings into a highly respected firm and yet still retain real family control.

The founder of the business, the late Eric Chadd originally came to Bude from Hereford in 1935 and worked as a young man for Tom Cloke of Lynstone as a milk roundsman.

He then worked in the same capacity for Mr Cardew’s Flexbury Dairy until war service between 1940 and 1945. After the war, Eric Chadd continued to work for Mr Cardew and then for Bude Dairies.

He then decided to branch out on his own and purchased the late Spencer Colwill’s Dairy in Queen Street with £100 from the local solicitor Mr George Lyon Andrews, who was based on the Strand, Bude.

This was followed by the acquision of Buckingham’s milk rounds in Stratton and finally the purchase of Bude Dairies.

The amalgamated business eventually reverted to the name Flexbury Dairies and Eric and his wife Frances opened a retail shop in Lansdown Road. One of Mrs Chadd Senior memoirs was the collection of ‘TT’ milk from a farm at Launcells and their small bottling plant in Flexbury, while one of their first commercial bulk customers was the Ministry of Works at Cleave Camp, Morwenstow – now the huge GCHQ complex.

With milk rounds covering Bude, Stratton, Widemouth Bay and Poughill, the business began to expand and the retail side rapidly began to attract hotels and caterers.

With Nick Chadd coming into the business, the catering supplies side began to expand and Chadd’s moved to Cash and Carry premises at Bramble Hill with space at Lansdowne Mews being devoted to frozen foods and bulk storage.

With Eric’s retirement, Nick and Gwyneth Chadd took over control and moved the operation to its premises at Lansdowne Mews where the retail side was closed down to concentrate on the wholesale and catering supplies business.

In 2005 the decision was made to move to a newly purpose built depot outside of Stratton. Not only did it improve congestion within the town but with nearly 8,000 sq ft, it gave room for expansion.

This came in 2008 with the acquisition of Foodsmiths, a fine food wholesaler based in Saltash, the catalyst for Nick and Gwyneth’s son Nigel to join the business.

Today, Chadd’s Foodsmiths cover a huge area of Devon and Cornwall, delivering daily throughout their trading area with their fleet of refrigerated vehicles stocked with over 3,500 products from chilled, frozen, ambient and non-foods.

The range offered fits all different spectrums of the catering industry from traditional items and staple commodities, to ice cream and through to speciality, local and ingredients, as Nick would quote ‘the complete chef’s larder’.

Throughout the 70 years, there have been several characters and stories within the business, from Claude Petherick, Pete Pearse and Nick’s right hand man for many years Tony Vallance.

Today Nigel is supported by a very enthusiastic and dedicated team, however acknowledgement must go to Debbie Troop, who has given 34 years’ dedicated service to the business who has seen this history develop in front of her eyes.

Today Chadd’s Foodsmiths nearly operate a 24-hour operation and thanks have been expressed to Nigel’s brother-in-law Robin and his team who start work in the early hours of the morning to Jennie Sharp who is taking orders way past midnight!

A spokesperson for the family said: “Eric Chadd the founder of the business would be extremely proud to see what his family firm has achieved in 70 years.

“To think, as well as building up this thriving family business, he found time to be a JP, chairman of the parish council (he served on the council for 21 years), district councillor and founder member of Bude Rotary Club.”