Cook Trading

After Dale Penfold's retirement in 2017, Ed began leading the company alongside his sister Rosie as co-chief executive officer.

The company has earned over 50 Great Taste Awards for its broad range of meals and puddings, which can be found in 850 independent retailers across the United Kingdom.

Their RAW talent[2] program to help people back into work after prison, homelessness and other challenges have been recognized with a Queen's Award for Enterprise.

Over 90% of the products in their shops are made by Cook themselves, but they also stock a small range of specialized non-frozen goods supplied by Cotswold Fayre.

In 1997, he persuaded a chef and client, Dale Penfold, to leave his job in banqueting and start a frozen food business.

In March 2005, Cook opened a new 31,000 square foot Kitchen facility in Sittingbourne to allow the business to continue to grow.

In 2015, the puddings kitchen in Somerset was bought out and officially became part of Cook still run by Liz Dove until her retirement in 2021.

Cook became one of the founding members of the B Corporation movement in the UK in 2013, joining other businesses globally that consider their social and environmental impact along with their profits.

This might be due to criminal conviction, time in prison, homelessness, mental health, addiction, neurodiversity or refugee status.

[8] At the start of the COVID pandemic, Cook began a scheme called the Kindness Fund, which saw each of their company-owned shops donating meals every week to a local charity.

Cook products are also stocked in over 850 independent retailers and farm shops including Manx and Booths supermarkets in the North of England.