'Bootiful' Turkey Boss Bernard Matthews Dies
Alison Chung, Sky News Online
Turkey farmer Bernard Matthews, who grew his Norfolk-based business into a multi-million pound empire, has died aged 80.
Bernard Matthews' empire began with a humble 2.50p investment
Famed for his "bootiful" TV ad catchphrase, Mr Matthews passed away yesterday - while America celebrated Thanksgiving, often referred to as 'Turkey Day'.
In a statement, Bernard Matthews Farms' chief executive Noel Bartram said: "It is with a great deal of personal sadness that I confirm Bernard Matthews passed away on the afternoon of the 25th November.
"I have personally known Bernard Matthews for well over 30 years, and on behalf of myself and my fellow colleagues, I wish to express our great sorrow and extend our thoughts and sympathies to the family."
From humble beginnings Mr Matthews built up his poultry firm to bring cheap turkey meat to the masses.
He is the man who effectively put turkey on the plates of everyday working families and in so doing became one of the largest employers in rural East Anglia and a major supporter of the local farming community. Noel Bartram, Bernard Matthews Farm's chief exec
Born in Brooke, Norfolk in 1930, Mr Matthews was the son of a mechanic.
He left school at 16 and began his rise to prominence in 1950 with a 2.50p investment in 12 turkey eggs and an incubator at a market in Acle, Norfolk.
By 1952 he was producing 3,000 turkey eggs at his home and decided to move into poultry farming full-time.
Three years later he bought Great Witchingham Hall, near Norwich, which remains the headquarters of the Bernard Matthews Farms company.
Mr Matthews holding one of his birds outside No10 in 1979
The National Farmers' Union paid tribute to Mr Matthews, describing him as "an inspiration to any farmer".
Chief poultry adviser Rob Newbery said: "From humble beginnings he built an innovative, and in its time, unique business. Bernard Matthews's success was poultry farming's success.
"Bernard Matthews is a strong rural company, brand and employer, with roots firmly in farming. He created a legacy to be proud of."
Mr Bartram added: "He is the man who effectively put turkey on the plates of everyday working families and in so doing became one of the largest employers in rural East Anglia and a major supporter of the local farming community."
But during his long and successful career, Mr Matthews was often criticised by animal rights campaigners for employing "factory farming" methods.
In 2005, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver launched a crusade to improve school dinners, and it was a Bernard Matthews product - Turkey Twizzlers - he wanted off plates first.
There were more grim headlines in 2006 when an animal welfare group called for an inquiry after a court heard how two Mr Matthews' workers were filmed playing "baseball" with live turkeys.
Both men admitted ill-treating birds during a hearing before magistrates in Norwich.
The firm tried to restore its reputation with a full-page newspaper ad telling shoppers that its employees were "conscientious people".
And there was more bad news in February 2007 when the H5N1 strain of bird flu surfaced in the UK - at a Bernard Matthews' plant at Holton, Suffolk.
The virus led to almost 160,000 birds being slaughtered and caused a slump in sales.
Matthews started producing turkey eggs in 1950
, founder of the turkey company of the same name, has died at the age of 80. His death was announced by Noel Bartram, the group chief executive of the company.

Matthews started  in 1950 when he invested in a small number of turkey eggs and a used incubator. Within two years he had turned his production into full time and was producing 3,000 turkey eggs.

Bartram released a statement on Matthews death. He said "It is with a great deal of personal sadness that I confirm Bernard Matthews passed away on the afternoon of the 25th November. I have personally known Bernard Matthews for well over 30 years, and on behalf of myself and my fellow colleagues, I wish to express our great sorrow and extend our thoughts and sympathies to the family." Matthews died on the US holiday of , also known as "Turkey Day". 

He steped down as director in January of this year on his 80th birthday following a few hard years for the company. Chef  targeted Bernard Matthews Turkey Twizzlers during his healthy eating campaign, and in 2007 a strain of  was found at one of his farms. Following the outbreak sales dropped and staff were cut.