HECK’s Mica Keeble has won Young Processor of the Year at the National Egg & Poultry Awards.

Mica, 27, began working for the Bedale sausage and burger firm when she was 22. Starting out on the packing line, her eye for detail was quickly noticed and she soon progressed to become line leader.

She now holds a senior role, conducting HECK!’s weekly management production meetings and working with a 70-strong production team to manage distribution and quality control.

Married to HECK! co-founder Roddy Keeble, the mum of two has also been spotted in acting roles in films and TV shows such as Casualty and Emmerdale, and is based at the HECK! HQ and factory situated on the old family farm near Bedale.

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Helping HECK! hit their sausage making target of 1 million a day, equating to 360 million sausages a year, Mica said of her win: “I’m really excited by the award. HECK! has been brilliant to work with right from the beginning. I started here to earn extra money to fund my acting career, but now the sausage job has taken over!

"The team are so supportive and really help young families with flexible working and benefits that go over and aboveIn Covid I had health issues which meant I had to isolate from work and the family were brilliant in tailor-making my role.”

“Mica’s a real inspiration to the team and we’re incredible proud of her” said HECK! co-founder, Jamie Keeble. “She’s an example of how you can really make a great career in the food industry and we see her as a future leader in our business.”

HECK! has also just launched its first internship programme, which will see two successful candidates working across the whole of the business.

And while most internships are open to young people, the HECK! team want to hear from people of all ages, including those who don’t want a desk-based career.

Jamie said: “Food and farming will always be at the heart of our business and we’re the only company in the premium sausage and burger sector that has a factory that makes its own food.

“And our HQ and factory is based on the family farm, where my brother and grandfather farm. We want to give two people the opportunity to come and work with us to learn about every aspect of the business, from field to fork, whatever their experience. It’s a bit like the Apprentice of the food world.”