YOU may not have a private chef preparing your meals, but did you know you can still eat like royalty?
As well as being monarch, King Charles runs his own food business – Duchy Organics – and you can do all your weekly shopping with him at Waitrose.
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Founded in 1990 as a way to market his farm’s produce, the business has grown over the years and in 2023 made a profit of £3.2 million, as well as donating £200,000 in charitable donations.
But is the organic food line all it’s cracked up to be?
Fabulous decided to test the Duchy Organics line to see how much it costs and whether the food tastes worthy of royalty…
PALACE PRICES
We decided to compare a weekly store from Duchy Organics (formerly known as Duchy Originals) with an equivalent store from M&S to see which was cheaper and what the weekly staples would cost you.
I made both online purchases on the same day and added essential items like milk, cheese, bread, eggs and meat to my basket.
Adding up the 16 items in my Duchy Organics collection it came to £42.28, a little higher than M&S’s £41.55.
But at less than £1 difference, there wasn’t much to it.
However, several Duchy items were actually cheaper than the M&S range.
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Price comparison for Duchy Organics and M&S
- 4 liters of semi-skimmed milk – Waitrose – £2.25 versus IN – £2.20
- 6 large free-range eggs Waitrose – £3.50 vs. IN – £3.50
- Bread – Waitrose – £2.20 versus IN – £1.30
- Cheese – Mature Cheddar (350g) – Waitrose – £4.75 versus IN – £5.00
- Pasta – fusilli (500g) – Waitrose – £1.90 versus IN – £2.25
- Pasta sauce – Waitrose – £2.65 versus IN – £2.10
- Hamburger – Waitrose – £4.95 versus IN – £3.90
- Baked beans – Waitrose – £1.00 versus IN – £1.00
- Strawberry jam – Waitrose – £2.80 versus IN -£2.60
- Bananas – Waitrose – £1.95 versus IN – £1.60
- Tea bags – Waitrose – £2.00 versus IN -£2.75
- Blackberries – Waitrose – £2.50 versus IN – £3.00
- Carrots – Waitrose – £1.40 vs. IN – £1,154
- Apples – Gala – Waitrose – £2.25 versus IN – £2.25
- Sausages – Waitrose – £3.93 versus IN – £4.50
- Shortbread fingers – Waitrose – £2.25 versus IN – £2.45
Total price:
Waitrose: £42.28
IN: £41.55
CHEAPEST CHARLES ITEMS
Outside the food store, several surprising items cost less than their M&S counterparts, including the sausages.
For 12 pork chipolatas, Ducado’s pack was £3.93, compared to M&S’s £4.50.
When I did a taste test, the difference was barely noticeable, which means you can opt for the real sausages to save a few pennies.
Perfect for barbecue season, the burgers were also cheaper from the Ducado collection.
They cost £4.95 for a pack of four, compared to two large ones from M&S for £3.90, but per kg you get more at Waitrose.
However, if I had my choice, I would probably opt for the M&S offering as they seemed bigger and more of a summer treat – but for families, the Duchy four-pack would be more practical.
Other items that were cheaper in the reach it was the Ducado cheese (£4.75 compared to £5) and the pasta (£1.90 compared to £2.25).
Cheaper items in the Duchy range compared to M&S organic products
- Cheese – Mature Cheddar (350g) – Waitrose – £4.75 versus IN – £5.00
- Pasta – fusilli (500g) – Waitrose – £1.90 versus IN – £2.25
- Hamburger – Waitrose – £4.95 versus IN – £3.90
- Apples – Gala – Waitrose – £2.25 versus IN – £2.25
- Sausages – Waitrose – £3.93 versus IN – £4.50
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REAL TASTE TEST
Then it was time for the part I was looking forward to: trying the food.
Starting with breakfast, I cooked toast and jam on both ranges to see how they would turn out, and found the difference in quality to be extremely noticeable.
Although the Duchy Organic Whole Seed Half Bloomer was much more expensive (£2.20 compared to £1.30), you really are getting what you pay for.
The size was larger, the seeds were added more generously, and the overall slice was more of a delight.
This also applied to the Duchy’s jam.
What is King Charles’ Duchy Organics line?
DUCHY Organics is a partnership between Waitrose and Duchy Originals Limited, a company created in 1990 by King Charles III when he was Prince of Wales.
Duchy Originals products were initially stocked in farm shops and independent stores such as Harrods and Fortnum & Mason
During the 2000s, a selected range of Duchy Originals products became widely available in major UK supermarkets, with Waitrose being the brand’s biggest customer.
The now Duchy Organic range includes everything from fruit, nuts, vegetables and pasta to dairy, meat, poultry and fish.
Royal fans can also try the King’s organic strawberry jam and wash down some biscuits with his own brand of tea.
The brand states: “We work with British organic farmers to source great-tasting, high-quality food, as much as the climate allows.
“When this is not possible, we work with dedicated organic producers around the world.”
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Meghan Markle needs to take note of her American Riviera Orchard jelly offerings – which she has so far sent to 50 key friends, including Kris Jenner.
King Charles’ £2.80 offering didn’t disappoint, and with its rich color and chunks of fruit distributed generously inside, it definitely beat M&S’s £2.60 pot – which was just 20p cheaper.
Britain is proud of many things – besides the royal family – with a cup of tea being the way millions of people start their days.
So you’d expect Duchy tea to stand out from the crowd – but did it?
It was more expensive, £2 for 25 bags, compared to M&S’s £2.75 for 50, but it was more of a premium product, with each bag individually wrapped and with the bags attached to a string.
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DUCHY DISHES
Next it was time for a hearty pasta dish and although the macaroni and cheese were cheaper from the Duchy collection, the tomato sauce was more expensive (£2.65 vs £2.10 from M&S).
Prepared, the dishes looked remarkably similar to what you’d imagine – although the M&S batter seemed a little thicker – but you could tell the difference when looking at the Duchy sauce.
Their organic tomato and basil pasta sauce, which has the most five-star reviews on the Waitrose website – was thick and herby and seemed richer.
This also translated into the taste, with the sauce making all the difference in the dish.
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REAL REVIEW
Although the prices were quite comparable between the King Charles food range and the M&S collection, I was pleasantly surprised by the items that were cheaper.
I’ll definitely add some of the royal chipolatas to my basket if I want a barbecue fit for the monarchy.
Even the actual tea bags felt more premium, with their string and tag, so we’ll display them to any guests who stop by to feel more elegant.
The fruit and vegetables were of good quality, with the apples still fresh a week later.
With the cost of living crisis, many people are looking for cheap items for their weekly shopping, so it’s tempting to go to supermarkets that price match and compete for the lowest prices.
For staples like milk and cheese, there wasn’t much difference in taste to purse-friendly alternatives from Aldi and Tesco.
But if you’re gearing up for a fancy at-home brunch or barbecue, you won’t need to splurge on any royal jewelry to pick up some delicious, statement-making items that will elevate your staycation.
That jam and toast might have been the tastiest I’ve ever eaten – and that’s saying something.
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
