Sick mum inspires South Yorkshire woman to set up new business

A Barnsley business-woman has set up a frozen meal delivery service after being disappointed with the quality of food available when looking after her elderly mother.

Cassie Northwood set up Northwood Foods after returning from her job as estate manager at a seven-star resort in Thailand and the company is now delivering meals across Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire.

She returned to Barnsley to care for her sick mother Joyce, who died in April last year aged 83, after suffering with dementia.

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Cassie now operates the business with partner David White from their base in Wombwell and the couple arrange deliveries of high-quality, well-balanced meals to older, sick or vulnerable people of all ages in their homes.

She said: “As you can imagine, at a seven-star resort, quality was everything, and the food was fantastic.

“After returning home to care for my mum, I found it disappointing and frustrating that I couldn’t source high standard frozen meals for her – the same problem I had when nursing my dad through cancer 10 years ago. That’s what sparked the idea for the business.”

They are aiming their service directly at families in the first instance, with plans to approach community and care organisations in the near future.

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Northwood Foods’ products differ from many of their competitors in that they have invested in innovative packaging which enables meals to be warmed on the plate directly, avoiding the need to transfer piping hot food from plastic trays.

Cassie said: “We would never produce anything that we wouldn’t be happy to give to our own parents.”