D’Artagnan Lamb from the West Country, UK

We’ve added an exclusive English lamb program to the D’Artagnan portfolio. Known for its mild taste and tenderness throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, this is the first time it is available in the U.S.  

The West Country is a region comprised of six counties in Southwest England, known for producing the country’s best lamb: Dorset, Cornwall, Devon, Gloucestershire, Somerset, and Wiltshire. The UK ranks behind only Australia and New Zealand for lamb exporting, and the West Country is the UK’s version of Colorado. 

The tradition of raising lamb on these rolling pastures can be traced back thousands of years. There’s documentation of King Richard the Lionheart giving a charter for monks to farm sheep in those pastures in 1190. This helped the West Country earn its Protected Geographical Indication label. 

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Protected Lands, Premium Lamb 

The PGI label guarantees that the lamb is born, raised, and harvested in the West Country region, and 100% grass-fed, with no grains, no feedlots or finishing farms. The ranchers strive for the bonuses awarded to those who deliver the highest quality lamb within the strict criteria.  

The young lambs are born, raised, and harvested on a single farm, the same way it has been done for centuries, preserving a way of life, and the grasslands that protect soil structure, support biodiversity, and sustain rural landscapes. Their lamb connects us to the generations who have tended these lands and the animals grazing them.  

Our West Country lamb is third-party certified for animal welfare. Red Tractor champions high standards across the food chain, covering animal welfare, food safety, environmental protection, and traceability back to UK assured farms. Their logo is the most recognized and most trusted farm assurance mark among UK consumers and guarantees no subtherapeutic antibiotics or added hormones ever.  

Processed By Hand 

The lamb is processed at 6 to 9 months of age, yielding carcasses of 35-42 lbs. Because it’s so young, the cuts are a bit smaller than some lamb, but each offers meat with very short and thin grain, making it extremely tender with a mild flavor. All cuts are hand butchered and fabricated by lamb experts with size consistency, and the chef’s end needs foremost in mind.  

Lamb is a cornerstone of British cuisine, holding an iconic place in the traditional Sunday roast, often as a leg or shoulder, served with potatoes, seasonal vegetables, and mint sauce or gravy. Regional classics like shepherd’s pie, Lancashire hotpot, and comforting stews highlight the meat’s rich, distinctive flavor. Versatile enough for fine dining applications, as well as classic pub grub, our West Country lamb brings all that flavor and heritage to the U.S. in this exclusive program under the D’Artagnan label.