Matthews Cotswold Flour has been recognised as one of Britain's top 25 regional producers in Speciality Food magazine and Speciality & Fine Food Fair's Regional Stars initiative: a project designed to uncover the businesses most passionate about sharing an authentic taste of their region with food lovers far and wide.

Founded in 1820 and still family-run, Matthews Cotswold Flour has earned national acclaim for its unwavering commitment to regenerative agriculture, traditional stoneground milling methods, and its support of artisan and home bakers across the UK.

“We're hugely proud to represent the Cotswolds in this list of food heroes,” said Bertie Matthews, managing director and eighth-generation miller. “From the farmers we work with to the bakers who choose our flour, it's always been about community, sustainability and variety.”

Holly Shackleton, editor of Speciality Food Magazine, said, “As a nation, we have a proud heritage of excellent produce and it's exciting to see how these 25 businesses have not only joined forces with other producers to create supportive ecosystems in their local area, but worked tirelessly with a pure focus on quality to ensure that what they create is a celebration of the land under their feet.”

Nicola Woods, event manager of Speciality & Fine Food Fair, said, “This initiative is about more than just celebrating quality products, it's about recognising the people behind them who are championing local sourcing, sustainability, and a deep-rooted connection to the place they call home. These producers are the heartbeat of the speciality and fine food sector. They work tirelessly, not only to craft exceptional products, but to champion independent business, support their local economies, and build genuine relationships with their customers and industry partners.”

Matthews Cotswold Flour continues to innovate while staying true to its roots, leading the charge in sustainable food production and helping to build a more resilient, localised food system. Bertie and the mill recently featured on Jeremy Clarkson's popular Amazon Prime series Clarkson's Farm. It showcased the mill's distinctive character and regional significance as well as its high standards, particularly whilst working closely with its farming partners pushing boundaries in British agriculture and milling. 

For hi-res photos see here.  

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About Speciality Food Regional Stars

25 small-scale businesses were hand-picked from rafts of entries to share their inspiring stories of community spirit, dedication to traditional values, and hunger for showcasing the very best of their local area – and they are brought together in a special feature running in the June issue of Speciality Food Magazine. This group of passionate food lovers will join forces at the Speciality & Fine Food Fair, taking place at Olympia on 9th -10th September 2025, where they will come together to celebrate the very best of Britain's regional food and drink. 

Editor's Notes

The two hundred year old family business, Matthews Cotswold Flour, is Britain's leading speciality flour producer boasting a range of over 100 varieties of flour and providing an unrivalled choice for both amateur and professional bakers. Matthews Cotswold Flour is committed to supporting regenerative food sources, developing an unparalleled range of top quality, award-winning, products and inspiring, educating and partnering with the nation's artisan and home bakers. 

Heritage: With a milling legacy spanning eight generations, Matthews Cotswold Flour is one of the UK's oldest family-run flour mills. Trading grain and milling flour in the heart of the Cotswolds since the 1800s, the mill believes passionately that their local partnerships, traditional stoneground milling methods and premium grains make for better baking. They are proud to offer premium quality Organic and Stoneground Wholegrain flour, using grain from local farmers and time-honoured milling techniques. With an eye to the future and wanting to share their wealth of milling experience, Matthews Cotswold Flour is launching a New Generation Milling Apprenticeship programme that encourages and supports the next generation of millers.

Regenerative Farming: Through their local Cotswold Grain Partnership and a system of fair trade pricing, Matthews Cotswold Flour works with farmers to grow in a regenerative way that protects the soil and develops wildlife.  They are supporting the Regenerative Revolution on farms around the country and promoting a more diverse agricultural landscape that supports soil health and different grain varieties. By giving back some profits to the farmers, Matthews Cotswold Flour is able to support new regenerative farming practices as they work to increase regenerative farming practices across all their suppliers.

Product Range: Matthews Cotswold Flour is Britain's leading speciality flour producer supplying a range of over 100 varieties to professional and home bakers through its online shop and retail and wholesale outlets. It is proud to work with Britain's best bakers (as voted by the British Baking Awards). Its product range offers a huge selection of artisan flour including unique blends of ancient and heritage grains. Matthews maintains one of the strictest grain selection methods for their specialty flour. By only selecting the top one percent of grain they ensure quality and consistency for master and home bakers across the country.

Awards: Matthews Cotswold Flour boasts a host of awards for many of the products in its outstanding range of flour. Their award-winning flour is inspired, grown, milled, baked, and created by their close knit community of partners. They are proud to have won 20 great taste awards in the last two years alone.

Baking Community: The Cotswold Flour Baking Club  was set up by Matthews Cotswold Flour to inspire a new generation of bakers with recipes, tips, videos, events, and collaboration with master bakers across the UK. Anyone can join this rapidly growing community and enhance their baking journey. By sharing knowledge, ideas, inspiration, and stories The Cotswold Flour Baking Club aims to create an incredible baking experience for all its members. 

For more information, an interview with Bertie Matthews, samples, recipes and images please contact Hayley Reynolds - hayley@rawfoodanddrinkpr.co.uk