Moving to France and embracing the lifestyle and the wonderful cuisine doesn’t need to mean leaving behind those comforting and familiar foods you love. Bacon by the Box is a retailer based in Ireland that delivers meat, dairy produce and a whole range of well-loved groceries and hard to find British and Irish food to France and many other countries in mainland Europe. They’re like your British corner shop in Europe.
Humble beginnings
Bacon by the Box was founded by John Marsden in 2010. John was living in Calvados in Normandy and originally only served Brittany and Normandy. To begin with, he was making deliveries every two weeks himself to Normandy, Brittany and then down the west coast and further south.
“We recognised that people had a longing for food from ‘home’ and we built the business to meet that need,” John says. “With the success of the business and increased demand, we saw that we needed to cater to customers further afield and to increase frequency of deliveries. Bacon by the Box now has access to the finest produce from Ireland and to popular British brands also available in the retail network. We aim to offer a local corner shop experience where you can find familiar favourites or explore new foods.”
Quality produce
Now based in beautiful and rural County Waterford in the Republic of Ireland, John says, “The Gulf Stream on the east coast of Ireland creates the perfect conditions for the finest grass pasture and food producing countryside and we work with top quality producers who consistently provide meat and dairy products of a really high standard.
“We strive to offer the experience of shopping with a local artisan butcher. You should be able to come to our site and pick up everything necessary for breakfast, dinner and tea as well as products for special occasions and treats.”
Like your British corner shop in France
Moving to France brings opportunities to sample the very many new foods and ingredients on offer. Whether it’s croissants and cakes, moules marinière or choosing fruit and veg at the local market that makes your mouth water, you can thoroughly enjoy your new home and still find yourself pining for old favourites. Some familiar ingredients and cuts of meat just aren’t available in France, meaning it’s hard to prepare your favourite meals. Bacon by the Box can fill the gap with weekly deliveries from Ireland to France and mainland Europe.
Meat and more
As the name suggests, the company started as a great way to get high quality meat – and familiar cuts – delivered to your home overseas. This is still a large part of what Bacon by the Box offers. The meat they export is all Irish and includes beef, lamb, pork and poultry. It also includes meat products such as haggis, black pudding and sausages and, of course, bacon.
Dairy foods with no delay
Since Brexit came into force, it’s no longer legal to freely import meat or dairy products from the United Kingdom to the European mainland. Being based in Ireland means that Bacon by the Box is unaffected by these changes and is able to offer Irish cheeses in addition to meat. These include cheddar, blue cheese and smoked cheese. If you have a hankering for double cream, whipping cream or Irish butter, these too are available to order.
Familiar brands and store cupboard basics
The grocery pages on the Bacon by the Box website are filled with all sorts of brands that those living in the UK and Ireland take for granted, but those of us living overseas often miss. Tea and biscuits, cereals, tins of beans and soups, baking ingredients, pies and pasties and condiments. It could be that you yearn for a curry or a Chinese meal and the sauces and spice mixes for these, as well as chutneys and pickles are also on offer. In fact Bacon by the Box even offer to try to source what you’re looking for if it isn’t already on their online shelves.
Vegetarian and vegan foods
Notoriously difficult to access in France, Bacon by the Box offers a range of refrigerated and dry vegan and vegetarian food, including cheese and meat substitutes.
Hassle-free delivery
Find out more
To find out what Bacon by the Box has on offer, visit: baconbythebox.com/
