Season 6
December 27, 2020
A look at some of the largest factories in Britain.
3 Episodes
Episodes
Cider
December 27, 2020
How the world's biggest cider producer makes more than 350 million litres each year - from orchards in Herefordshire, to the mill in Ledbury, to fermentation and bottling at the factory. How grafting is used to create a new sweet apple variety called Scrumptious. How a by-product of making cider - CO2 - is used to make fire extinguishers. The history of the Victorian apple-breeding boom, and recreating one of Queen Victoria's favourite baked apple desserts.
Socks
January 5, 2021
How a Leicester factory makes one and a half million socks annually. What causes smelly feet, and which socks tackle it best. How a cotton spinner in Manchester produces 4,200 miles of yarn every hour. A revolutionary eco-cotton supplier. The history of 1980s sock fashion, and how the 'Kitchener stitch' helped save the feet of British soldiers in the trenches during the Great War.
Yoghurt
January 12, 2021
How one million pots of yoghurt are produced every 24 hours in rural Somerset - from the Friesian cows that provide the milk to the processing, culturing, and packing processes. How blackcurrant are harvested. Plant-based alternatives to milk. Food-safe yoghurt pots made from 100% recycled material. The history of the electric milk float and the contentious origins of the cream tea.
