It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Jim Bloom, one of Cranswick’s founding farmers and former Chairman.
The Cranswick story began in 1972, when Jim and a group of local farmers commissioned a feasibility study to explore building their own feed mill. The results were promising, and in 1975, Cranswick Mill was born.
The 23 founding farmers appointed four Directors to oversee key areas: pigs, grain, finance and feed. Jim not only served as one of the original four Directors, alongside Richard Marginson, Mike Field and Hector Fraser, but went on to take the position as Chairman for over 13 years until his retirement in 2004.
Jim remained a passionate supporter of Cranswick throughout his life. 2025 marks Cranswick’s 50th year, on which he reflected: “It’s a legacy that’s continuing to expand and is still growing. But in a way, as far as I can see, it hasn’t changed. It’s still got the same principles - and long may that continue.”
Adam Couch, CEO of Cranswick, shared: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Jim. He was one of the original group of farmers who founded Cranswick fifty years ago. His entrepreneurial spirit, vision and unwavering dedication helped shape the very foundation of our business. Jim was a great Chairman, a great mentor to me, but most of all, a great friend to me and many others. He will be sadly missed.”