Makers of the nation’s favourite breakfast cereal[1] are petitioning to create a brand-new UK county. ‘Weetabixshire’ county lines would encircle a 50-mile radius[2] from the Weetabix mills in Burton Latimer – the precise perimeter encapsulating the land where 100% of the wheat in Weetabix Original[3] is grown.
The campaign is also a fitting tribute to their 1,100-strong workforce, who use wheat from Weetabixshire to make 11 million Weetabix biscuits every day, equating to almost 8,000 every minute – highlighting the passion, craftmanship and care that goes into every grain of their beloved wheat.
Three 7ft tall ‘Welcome to Weetabixshire’ signs were erected in the Northamptonshire town of Burton Latimer, to mark the centre of Weetabixshire, and on the edges of St Neots and Rutland to pointedly mark the new proposed county lines.
Weetabix have also rebranded the local Burton Latimer Town Cricket Club as Weetabixshire Cricket Club and Meadowside Primary School in Burton Latimer is now Weetabixshire Primary School, bringing the brand’s affection for its hometown to life and bringing the community together.
To reward the residents of Weetabixshire, the brand is going a step further and inviting members of the public to get behind the creation of the new county. As an incentive, a 100 people randomly selected to declare their allegiance via the website will receive a FREE breakfast delivered to their door (T&Cs apply).
Weetabix farmer, Jim Beaty, said: “My farm is less than a mile from the Weetabix mills and I can smell the Bix being made every morning, so seeing all these people come down to the local area in support of Weetabixshire, fills me with such pride. It shows how much the community values us for the jobs we do on a daily basis, and I can’t express my gratitude enough towards them.”
Lorraine Rothwell, Head of Brand at Weetabix, said: “We’re proud to say our sourcing is local and facilitated by our network of incredible farmers, who are the backbone of Weetabix, so we wanted to show it off!”
“Keeping our sourcing local means we can support the farming community right here in Northamptonshire, working directly with growers who share our passion for delivering the very best wheat in the most sustainable way. Not to mention, sourcing our hero ingredient so close to home cuts down on our own food miles.”
This activity comes hot on the heels of a brand refresh for the iconic cereal, who have updated their packaging to hero and profile their famers on pack. The new-look pack also includes a Bix-shaped QR code that links to a dedicated traceability website featuring an interactive map of that all-important 50-mile radius, allowing shoppers to explore the farms within the Weetabix Growers Group and learn more about the farmers and modern farming practices at their helm. This includes environmental initiatives such as regenerative agriculture, renewable energy and the reduction of greenhouse gases.
Sign Weetabix’s petition today to make Weetabixshire a real county here. Head to www.weetabix.co.uk/weetabixshire to find out more information and pledge your allegiance to the campaign!
[1] The number one cereal brand in the UK and ROI based on the last 52 weeks
[2] The 50-mile radius is as the crow flies in all directions from the Weetabix Burton Latimer mills
[3] And 100% of the wheat used in Weetabix Banana, Weetabix Golden Syrup and Weetabix Chocolate
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