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'Bernard Trevor Matthews' CVO, CBE (born 1930 in Brooke, Norfolk) is the founder of Bernard Matthews Limited, a company that is best-known for producing turkeys and turkey products.^[1] Matthews, the son of a mechanic, worked as a trainee livestock auctioneer at Waters & Son between 1946 and 1948; he then served his two-year National service in the Royal Air Force.^[2]
He started the company in 1950, having left school at the age of 16 after winning a scholarship at the City of Norwich School but choosing not to progress with his education.^[3]
In 1964 he met Nikita Khrushchev to discuss the modernisation of the Russian Poultry industry. In 1980 the company launched its first TV commercial featuring Turkey Breast Roast, with Matthews himself introducing the famous 'Bootiful' catchphrase in his thick Norfolk accent, and becoming part of what has been described as the "national consciousness".^[4][5]
Matthews was appointed a CVO in the New Year's Honours List December 2006, for his service with the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, a scheme for which he had also previously been awarded a CBE. However, in view of the H5N1 outbreak in late January 2007 at his Holton, Suffolk plant, Matthews asked for the investiture on 9 February 2007, at which he had been due to receive the CVO, to be postponed.^[6]

Contents

References

See also

External links

References

1. Bernard Matthews: company history
2. Time to talk turkey
3. Bernard Matthews: Life is still bootiful
4. Company history: The 80s
5. The ‘bootiful’ empire takes another hit
6. "Official: H5N1 may be in human food chain", James Sturcke, Guardian Unlimited, 9 February 2007.

See also

★ Bernard Matthews

★ 2007 Bernard Matthews H5N1 outbreak

External links

★ Bernard Matthews company site