Holdsworth Foods announces death of founder Michael Holdsworth

Holdsworth Foods has announced the death of its founder, Michael Ian Holdsworth.

Holdsworth (pictured) was a well-known and respected character in both the frozen food and foodservice industries, as well as in his local area of South Yorkshire and the Derbyshire Dales.

He initially followed in his own father’s footsteps, pursuing a career in butchery, gaining experience in both Mattocks and Dentons butchers in Sheffield. He then went on to study Management before taking on a management position at local chicken processing business J Thornhills & Sons in Great Longstone.

It was in 1969 that his natural entrepreneurial flair saw him realise his own business ambitions when he identified opportunities in wholesale food provision in the local area. He launched Michael I Holdsworth Ltd, operating out of a small garage unit in Stoney Middleton, selling and delivering oven-ready, frozen chickens to local pubs.

As his number of customers and their demands increased, he began sourcing more product lines from the markets in nearby Sheffield and soon outgrew his original premises, facilitating a move for the business and his growing family to The Mill on Manchester Road in Tideswell, where the Holdsworth Foods head office remains today.

As his business grew, he employed a former Thornhills colleague, John Marriott, who remained his right-hand man for 40 years.

Many dedicated and long-serving employees at the wholesaler consider Holdsworth as a friend and they feel honoured to have worked alongside him. These friends recall grafting alongside him day in, day out, not for reward or recognition, but for him. He always led from the front.

Holdsworth was always looking for opportunity and was willing to take a risk. He was a founding member of Fairway Foodservice.

He made many friends of suppliers, customers and his teams and was actively involved in both his business and the industry.

Holdsworth Food Services grew to be a highly successful national food distribution business, now operating out of 10 sites across England and Wales, with its headquarters in Derbyshire.

Holdsworth retired as managing director in 1999 and John Marriott took on the mantle. Marriott successfully led the company to further growth before his retirement in 2023, with Holdsworth’s son Rupert the current managing director.

A company spokesperson said: “Michael was always mindful of his responsibility not only to those he employed, but also to their families and to the local communities his business became a part of.

“First and foremost, Michael was passionate about his family. His wife Barbara, their five children, and nine grandchildren were his motivation to succeed. He always had a love of cars and had quite a variety of classics over the years. His other interests were history, snooker, golf and his second home in France, a country and culture that he loved.

“Michael had many great friends whom he would regularly enjoy a pint with in the local pubs. He was a well-liked member of the community, and although modest by nature, he helped many people throughout his life, supported local sports clubs, community events and businesses.”

Michael Ian Holdsworth will be cremated in a small private ceremony, with a public church memorial service, details below.

DATE: 11 September

TIME: 1 pm

PLACE: Holy Trinity Church, Church Street, Ashford in the Water, Derbyshire DE45 1QG

https://maps.app.goo.gl/NbcDkLDhNDKoEwUg9(opens in new tab)

Celebration of his Life:

TIME: From 2.30pm

PLACE: The Ballroom, Hassop Hall, Hassop, Bakewell, Derbyshire, DE45 1NS.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/txhMfdu3FJaC34gX9(opens in new tab)

RSVP by 28 August using the link below, or by emailing milly@holdsworthfoods.co.uk

Funeral and Celebration of Life for Michael Holdsworth – Fill in form

Special request: In lieu of flowers, the family would be most grateful for a donation to Blythe House Hospice or Ashgate Hospice

www.noutchfunerals.co.uk/donations(opens in new tab)

The church service will be available to access online for those unable to attend in person. Please contact milly@holdsworthfoods.co.uk(opens in new tab) if you would like to be sent the link.