One of the UK’s leading free-range egg producers has won an unprecedented second King’s Award for Sustainable Development, standing out as the benchmark for sustainable egg production in the UK.
Lakes Free Range Egg Company was formally presented with the award at the company’s packaging center and head office in Stainton, Cumbria, following a reception at Windsor Castle last year.
The presentation was made to founders David and Helen Blass and their team, with Cumbria Deputy Lieutenants Brian Gray and Ian Brown representing the Lieutenants.
The King’s Award for Enterprise celebrates the outstanding achievements of British businesses and this year marks the 50th anniversary of the honour. Only a few companies across the country are recognized each year, and even fewer receive multiple sustainable development awards.
David Blass said the scale of the achievement was significant. “This year, fewer than 200 companies nationwide received awards in four categories, and only 27 of them received awards for sustainable development,” he said.
He described his second award as “a great compliment for the work of the entire team from the farm to packaging and shipping.”
Founded in 1997, The Lakes has built its business around free-range, organic egg production by working with a network of producers and an agricultural model that considers profitability, sustainability, and reproducibility.
From the beginning, the company believed that tree planting would improve the welfare of free-range chickens, and took action long before industry standards were established.
Since then, native trees and shrubs have been planted on the farm’s own farm and its producers’ farms, helping to enhance biodiversity and increase the number of species recorded on the farm.
Research conducted with universities and partner organizations has shown the welfare benefits of tree planting, and recent bioacoustics research has investigated how biodiversity develops as trees mature.
Initial findings have identified 79 species across producer farms, including 13 bird species on the official red list, with up to 50 species recorded in some locations.
Further research is also investigating how planting trees near poultry houses affects ammonia levels in pasturelands, with the results expected to inform future tree planting strategies.
Deputy Lieutenant Brian Gray, who presented the award, said this recognition was particularly difficult to achieve. “This Sustainable Development Award sets a very high bar to achieve,” he said.
He described the club as a “very exclusive club” and said winning the accolade for the second time was “a testament to our rigorous standards and constant pursuit of excellence”.
Alongside our on-farm efforts, The Lakes has made significant investments in processing and technology. The company’s packaging stations use state-of-the-art equipment to minimize carbon footprint.
The operation also uses a dark brood system to raise chicks in nest boxes. This reduces energy consumption by 90% compared to traditional systems, and the birds arrive at the farm at the point of laying eggs.
Digital innovation is also gaining attention. For more than a decade, the company has developed BirdBox, a real-time poultry monitoring system that provides live data and early alerts to producers and their advisors.
Reflecting on the win, Blass said: “Winning this award at the start of 2026 is a welcome boost for our team, especially at a time when sustainability and British food production are such important issues.”
He added: “We are proud of what we have accomplished so far and excited about the challenges and opportunities ahead.”
The Lakes said the certification reflects a long-term approach that combines welfare, environmental management and technology, setting a benchmark for sustainable egg production in the UK.
