About Charlie Bighams
Charlie Bigham's is a British premium prepared meals brand founded by Charlie Bigham in 1996. After leaving his management consultancy career at Andersen Consulting, Bigham started the business in his own kitchen, selling at local markets before securing backing from the fourteenth bank he approached. The first 500 square foot kitchen opened in Park Royal, North West London. The business began with just three products - zesty Caribbean lamb, Cajun chicken with salsa, and salmon with dill and cream sauce - making only 20 meals in the first week. Early stockists included Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, and Waitrose. Charlie Bigham's became a certified B Corporation in 2020 and recorded annual sales of £104.4 million during the pandemic as housebound Britons turned to premium convenience meals. The founder takes issue with the term "ready meals", insisting: "A ready meal is synonymous with compromise. It's process and price over quality and taste." Dishes are designed to be heated in a conventional oven rather than microwaved, with wooden or ceramic containers instead of metal or plastic packaging. Popular dishes include Cottage Pie (British beef slow-cooked with red wine and thyme, topped with mashed potato, Cheddar and parmesan), Fish Pie (cod, salmon and smoked haddock in parsley sauce with creamy mashed potato), Lasagne (slow-cooked beef and pork ragù with egg pasta and béchamel), plus Chicken Tikka Masala, Thai Green Curry, Beef Bourguignon, Salmon en Croûte, and more. Originally known for meals for two, Charlie Bigham's expanded with single-portion dishes including fish pie, lasagne, macaroni cheese, and moussaka. In 2016, the company moved production to a purpose-built food campus at Dulcote Quarry in Somerset. Compare Charlie Bigham's prices across UK supermarkets including Waitrose, Tesco, Sainsbury's, and Ocado with Grocefully to find the best deals on premium British ready meals.






