Last week, Alec visited Collingham business Wharfe Valley Farms for a tour of the facilities and a tasting of the rapeseed oil.
The family has been based at the farm for 49 years and has been producing Yorkshire’s Original Rapeseed Oil (Yors) for ten years. The rapeseed is grown, pressed, filtered, infused and bottled on site in Collingham.
Alec said: “It was fantastic to see the team at Wharfe Valley Farms hard at work. Food production in Yorkshire makes a significant contribution to the national economy and it’s really good to see companies such as Tesco showcasing Yorkshire produce from my constituency.
“Witnessing the production of the oil right through to the bottling process was a great opportunity and hearing about the businesses growth plans for the next ten years is really good news for local employment.”
Sallyann Kilby, co-owner at Wharfe Valley Farms, added: “It was a pleasure to host Alec and showcase some of our favourite products.
“We are so passionate about what we do and are proud to remain an independent Yorkshire business.”
Rapeseed oil has less than half the saturated fat and 10 times the Omega 3 content of olive oil, while the high smoke point of 230c makes it ideal for roasting as well as stir frying.
The Yors rapeseed oils are grown in Collingham using traditional methods of swathing, a chemical free method of harvesting.
The business has grown over the years from a table top press to an operation producing over 1000 litres of oil per day.