Big K Products UK Ltd has been importing charcoal products into the UK for the past
40 years. The company originally imported pre-packed products to supply the restaurant
market. However, as the home barbecue market grew in the early seventies, Big K
naturally expanded in this area.
Big K has since diversified its operation to include a winter range such as coal products,
hardwood logs and kindling wood as well as introducing a range of concrete barbecues
to the UK. Big K can now be viewed as a company, who sells fuel all year around.
In 1989 Big K invested in a freehold property and established its own packing plant in Norfolk on a 7.5 acre site. The advantage is that we can carry significant stock in bulk as well as in finished goods. Due to the unpredictable English weather, this system of packing and stock holding ensures quality, continuity of supply and the ability to react quickly to market needs, with deliveries usually being made within 72 hours of receiving an order.
In order to keep pace with the increased demands of the industry Big K has made substantial investment both at home and abroad. This includes establishing a joint venture with a company in South Africa to produce FSC products, that include disposable barbecues and instant light charcoal, charcoal and briquettes.
This is backed up with our own manufacturing facilities for barbecue fuel lines in the UK.
We have recently completely rebuilt and modernised our production and warehousing
facility in Stoke Ferry, Norfolk:
- Warehousing space increased from 54,000 sq ft to 82,000 sq ft.
- Stock holding capacity increased from 2,000 pallets to 8000 pallets.
- Loading bays increased from 2 to 6.
- Fully racked warehousing.
- Less risk due to 3 separate warehouses compared to 1, with fully automated sprinkler system.
The combination of the above gives Big K a unique position in the market place!
Big K Products as a Retail Outlet
In addition to the national distribution centre in Norfolk, Big K's head office is based in Tottenham Hale, North London. This site is ideally located to enable Big K to operate a more localised warehouse and distribution centre for areas within the M25, providing added benefits to the customer. With its own fleet of vehicles Big K can offer a fast and reliable service to all their customers within the area. Restaurants are directly served from there with their weekly charcoal and log deliveries, shops receive deliveries ranging from small quantities to full pallets, and Big K have the facility to operate as a daily cash and carry for those customers who do not have the space to store their products.
The warehouse is fully racked and has regular deliveries from Big K's main depot in Norfolk to
ensure all products are always in stock and readily available all year round. Big K prides themselves in maintaining close customer relationships to meet the needs of their customers and help them to make a success of their own businesses. More recently, Big K have offered a home delivery service of Winter fuel direct to the public via their e-commerce site. Big K can normally deliver to residential homes inside the M25 area within 5 working days which is crucial during the colder and unpredictable winter months. The synergy created through Big K’s Norfolk and London Depot allows them to serve all their customers with quality products and reliable deliveries with family values still at the heart of the business.
