Charlie Bigham Unveils £29.95 “Occasion” Ready Meals for Home Gourmets
A bold move from the UK food scene. Charlie Bigham is rolling out a new line of luxe ready meals, priced up to £29.95, targeting those who still yearn for restaurant-standard dishes, without leaving the house.
His aim? To give consumers a sensibly indulgent night in as an alternative to dining out. The new range launches this week in 70 Waitrose stores across Britain.
The five-dish collection features offerings like venison bourguignon, made using wild-caught venison from the Scottish Highlands.
Other highlights include duck confit and a salmon wellington built around a sashimi-grade fillet.
The move places Bigham’s in direct rivalry with restaurants and gastropubs, many of which have upped their prices in response to rising labor, energy, and tax costs.
“If you go out to a restaurant or a gastropub or whatever, you might notice at the end of the meal that the bill seems to have crept up quite a lot,” says Bigham.
He believes many Britons have grown used to going out for dinner, whether for a “date night” or just a proper sit-down conversation.
His vision: “create the opportunity for people to do that at home with real top-notch food.”
The new line has had a year in development. Some dishes carry price tags three times those of Bigham’s bestselling fish pie, which retails at £9.95. “It’s fairly and squarely aimed at that weekend occasion,” he notes.
“I can safely say that our food is better than a slightly soggy takeaway pizza and far more nutritious and far better for you.”
He also suggests some of the meals could prove popular over Christmas. If reception is strong, more additions could be on the horizon.
Despite the narrative of stretched household budgets, Bigham argues the picture may be more nuanced.
He claims certain consumers, especially those who’ve received recent pay nudges- have still got discretionary spending to play with.
“We’re talking ourselves into everybody feeling poorer, and actually, the facts would suggest maybe otherwise.”
On a video call from his vividly decorated living room, he also warned of unseen costs tied to cheap food.
UK consumers, he says, are “waking up to the fact that making food cheaper has consequences”, for both health and the environment.
“Facing into these issues does cost a bit more, but it’s worth it.”
“I’m not one of those doom and gloom merchants. I know awful things are happening in the world… but luckily we have the joy of food.”
Financials back his confidence. In the year to 31 August 2024, sales rose 8.8% to £144.3 million, with pre-tax profits climbing more than a third to £7.7 million
. Shareholders, led by Bigham himself, distributed a £2.3 million dividend (up from £2 million the year before).
For the year ending August 2025, the momentum strengthened: sales grew by over 14%.
“There are still lots of people who’ve never tried our food. So we’re in the foothills,” he remarks, adding that in unstable times, shoppers seek value, and that may take various forms.
When asked about possible price rises, Bigham admitted he’d rather avoid them: “We hate putting prices up, because consumers don’t like it.
However, if our costs go up, then we kind of have a choice: we can either … salami the quality off a bit and say, let’s scrimp and save, or we have to pass on those increases.”
His business faces new cost pressures too: packaging taxes have bitten. His brand uses compostable wood-based cartons instead of conventional recyclable ones, a more eco-friendly (and pricier) route.
Still, he supports the principle behind environmental levies, noting that firms must think “very carefully” about sustainable materials.
On tax policy, Bigham is alert to the run-up to the 26 November budget. He believes the government must avoid misstepping.
He is particularly unhappy about proposed changes to inheritance tax on family businesses, which he sees as unfair compared to corporate equivalents. “These businesses are the engine of growth in the economy,” he says.
Now 58, Bigham remains in control of his namesake brand. With four children, he says he has no intention to sell or relinquish ownership.
