Our Story

The Eden family have a long and interesting history with the Grainger Market. Jerry Eden, the current Master butcher at Oliver & Eden is the third generation of the Grainger Family to run the Company.

In 1929 two brothers Leslie and Wallace Oliver set up their butchers businesses around 1927 in the Grainger Market. Then in 1949 Wallace Oliver met Stephen Eden and the two opened Oliver & Eden, going ‘head to head’ with Wallaces brother Leslie. Stephen’s brother John opened his own butchers shop around the same time, with his son Roy working alongside him from just 14 years old, and in turn taking over the shop and bringing then his own son Roy Junior to work alongside him.

Roy senior went on to work in the shop, in Alley 2 of the market for 70 years, finally retiring at 84, when Roy Junior his son also retired and the then small butchers shop closed.

Stephen’s Son Len initially begins working for Leslie Oliver in his shop as a junior to then take over the shop when Leslie retired. Meanwhile Len’s brother Stephen Eden and his son Stephen Junior continue to run Oliver and Eden .

In 1990, after a time learning his butcher skills with COOperative - Len’s son Jerry Eden begins working as a butcher with Oliver and Eden, effectively working for the competition; and in 1991 he buys the shop from his brother and cousin.

In 2007 Len retires from Leslie Eden’s and now Jerry Eden, Len’s son buys Leslie Olivers shop and merges the two businesses in 2010 to the one single shop we know and love today.

Today just like previous generations, you can find the wives and sons working alongside each other in the shop from time to time, ensuring that the 90 year family tradition of the Olivers and the Eden’s continues to this day at Grainger Market.