CHRISTMAS hampers across the country will be featuring York-made marmalade thanks to a prestigious London department store stocking the local delicacy.

Bracken Hill Fine Food, based in Elvington, says it has enjoyed its best Christmas since the business was set up almost ten years ago.

The festive boost follows a year in which the business has increased its workforce by 50 per cent and seen online sales soar.

In March, Bracken Hill won a gold award in the savoury category of the World’s Original Marmalade Awards for its marmalade made with Yorkshire cider.

The winning recipe uses cider produced from apples grown at the firm’s own orchard at Sutton-Upon-Derwent.

As a result of the award, Bracken Hill’s cider marmalade has been on sale at Fortnum & Mason in London, a shop famed for its hampers.

Neil Maycock, director of Bracken Hill, which now employs 15 staff, said: “In the past most of our markets have been in Yorkshire and the North East as we only sell at markets and fayres, and are stocked in local delis. “Going into London opened up a whole new market for us, which was particularly helped by going into such a prestigious store. It has certainly boosted sales.

“We do quite a bit of online sales, which has certainly improved all over. It won’t just be down to being stocked in Fortnum & Mason alone, but it will have helped.

“In terms of online sales we are getting a lot more sales from further afield. The online trade was always from areas where we sold at markets.

“Those have increased but at that the same time we have had a lot more orders from areas down south and London.

“Hopefully it will get better still. Pre-Christmas sales have been very good, in fact It has been our best Christmas since we started.”