Nestled within the historic red-brick walls of a century-old mill in the Cotswolds, vintage 1960s machinery hums steadily, expertly transforming wheat into fine flour. “They still work perfectly well,” says Bertie Matthews enthusiastically, leading the way up narrow wooden stairs to where both antique and modern equipment process and filter grain, bathing the air in a delicate haze of dust.
Bertie, the eighth generation of the Matthews family to run the business and now a director, plans to spend his upcoming weekend working a shift on the mill floor. “The team is fantastic, but people need time off, so sometimes I step in—and I’m very happy to,” he says with a smile. “Today is actually my day off.”
Despite Cotswold Flour’s extensive selection of speciality flours—one of the UK’s most comprehensive—running the mill was not always on Bertie’s radar. The Matthews family have been farming and milling in the Cotswolds since 1820. For five decades until 2020, Bertie’s father pioneered organic flour production before retiring and moving to New Zealand.
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Today, the business processes more than 500,000 bags of flour annually for home bakers, along with a million sacks supplied to artisan bakeries and brands across the country. Yet Bertie, the fifth of eight siblings, initially pursued careers in sales, advertising in London and New York, and served as an army reservist with the Honourable Artillery Company.
Everything changed in 2017 when Matthews Cotswold Flour faced a severe financial crisis, entering a creditors voluntary arrangement. “When I rejoined, I was at a point in life with no mortgage or children, so I could take the risk,” Bertie recalls. “We couldn’t fulfill orders, couldn’t pay bills, and no one would extend credit.”
Despite warnings that the business had only a 10% chance of survival, Bertie—at just 27 years old and with limited operational experience—became a director determined to “stop the rot.” Staff numbers were cut from 70 to 30, and he implemented a rigorous cost-reduction strategy.
The three years that followed were a near-constant battle against administration. “It was horrific,” Bertie admits. “My dad had grown the business tenfold since 1999, so to see it struggle hurt.”
Bertie recognized that poor financial visibility had contributed to the crisis. Upon taking charge, he became fixated on understanding and improving the company’s finances. As one of the UK’s smallest mills—producing around 14,000 tonnes of flour annually—a fresh approach was essential.
“Our market suits the small artisan bakery and passionate home bakers who want diverse flours,” he explains, “not large bakeries buying bulk plain flour at low prices.”
A turning point came when Bertie prioritized boosting online sales via the company website. This move proved invaluable during the pandemic. “When Covid hit, sales went berserk,” he says. “Everyone wanted flour, and artisan bakeries boomed. We did the right things, worked hard and smart—but you need a bit of luck. And we got lucky.”
Sales surged into the millions, momentum that continued post-pandemic. Today, Matthews Cotswold Flour is stocked in Tesco, Waitrose, Co-op, farm shops, and supplied directly to bakeries nationwide.
The brand’s profile received another boost when it featured in the Amazon series Clarkson’s Farm. “Jeremy Clarkson has lived locally for 50 years and knows my dad,” Bertie explains. “When COVID limited filming mostly to the farm, one of the few off-farm scenes showed Jeremy and Charlie visiting our mill.”
Since then, Clarkson has grown durum wheat and spelt with the help of Matthews Cotswold Flour, cementing a strong partnership. “He’s a great advocate for farming,” Bertie says.
Looking ahead, Bertie is committed to supporting growers through regenerative farming—a method that nourishes soil health and biodiversity by working in harmony with nature. Currently partnering with about 150 farms, only 12 use regenerative techniques, but Bertie aims to increase this number substantially by 2030.
“The climate will continue changing, with wetter winters and hotter summers impacting food production,” he explains. “We must produce nutritious, affordable food while regenerating land, not destroying it.”
Though the cost-of-living crisis has squeezed all businesses, Bertie believes customers invest not just in premium flour, but in the philosophy of sustainable farming.
Plans are underway to create an interactive baking facility that educates visitors about the journey from farm to flour to bread. “We want people to fully understand and appreciate the process,” Bertie says. “Otherwise, there’s no point being here in the Cotswolds.”
As for his own baking skills? “Yes, I bake, just not very well. But I’ve got great access to flour,” he laughs.