Our Story

1888 Certified - Why we started it

Our Story

1888 Certified - Why we started it

Our Story

1888 Certified - Why we started it

Our Story

1888 Certified - Why we started it

Our Story

1888 Certified - Why we started it

Our Story

1888 Certified was born out of a belief that meat lovers care about what they are eating. We are farmers that want to ensure our customers have the ability to make an informed choice on the food that they are serving family and friends.

The founders of “1888 Certified” , Charlie Crichton and Tim White, are both from over four generations of farmers & graziers. With more than 33 years of friendship under their belts, they realised that their beliefs regarding success and sustainability in farming were the same, and that their pioneering forefathers held those same beliefs in the generations before them.

1888 Certified meat is sourced from the founders farms and other local Australian farmers. The meat is 100% Grass fed & finished, hormone & antibiotic free. There are no animal meal additives used at any time through the animal’s lives.

All 1888 Certified product can be traced to the farms & farmers that raised it. We believe in only producing the highest quality produce that is sustainable and ethical.

1888 Certified is where quality meats origin!

Photos: Bottom Left - Charlie Crichton on Kyle, Young
Bottom Right - Tim White on Thalaba, Walgett ( a few years ago!)

Farmers & Graziers since 1888....and now premium quality butchers

1888 Certified was started by Charlie Crichton who was later joined by Tim White. Both are from families that have been farming for over 100 years. The business was founded on their common belief that meat consumers were not getting the quality or product that they paid for. The saturation of cities with corporate retail chains has resulted in a chasm developing between growers and consumers. The result is unsatisfied growers on one side and a drop in the quality and consistency of product that consumers are getting on the other (without any drop in price).

Why 1888 Certified?

We often get asked a variety of questions along similar lines, such as:

  • Why did you call the business “1888 Certified”?
  • It doesn’t sound like a butcher shop!
  • Wouldn’t “Charlie’s meats” or “Chuck’s Steaks” have been better choices?

And maybe they would have, but we don’t consider ourselves to be just butchers – far from it! The “1888” part of the name was easy. We truly believe that our history counts for something and that we wouldn’t have been in business for over 120 years if we weren’t doing a great job. 1888 means so much to our brand as it was the year Charlie’s grandfather Charles Crichton bought “Kyle” in Young NSW, which became the solid foundation for future generations to build on and follow.

The "Certified" process

The “Certified” part of the name needs a bit more explanation. We both come from a long line of farmers. We quickly realised that our beliefs in success and sustainability in farming are the same, and that our pioneering forefathers have held those beliefs in the generations before us.

We share the philosophy that if our business is to be successful then “1888” needs to demonstrate that our beliefs (and the three preceding generation’s ethics) are being carried into practices within the enterprise. We also strongly believe this approach would need to be adhered to by our business suppliers so that there would be no compromise on the quality of the product we deliver to our customers.

The result formed the criteria for all suppliers of fresh produce to 1888 Certified (including owners).

it's all about transparency

To ensure that this is the case, 1888 Certified hires an independent third party auditor to carry out inspections on all suppliers at least once per year. These inspections are on an unannounced basis. Any suppliers not satisfying the agreed criteria will no longer be able to supply 1888 Certified until all deficiencies are rectified. All suppliers that satisfy the criteria are “1888 Certified” …and that’s how we got the name.

Paddock to Plate