AMUESLI company born from a family’s love of a mum’s special blend and technique of making the natural and locally-sourced product is steadily growing to a wider market.

The Osmotherley Muesli Company, set up last year by Charlotte Pett, is still lovingly made on an Aga as it was when it was just for family breakfasts.

Mrs Pett said: “I have always made my own muesli.

“It is a variation of my mother’s recipe that I have altered over the years by adding yogurt or chocolate-covered raisins to make it more appealing for my children.

“Then sometimes when people came to visit they would ask if I would make them a batch, and last year I thought I would give the Homegrown Food Festival in Northallerton a try, to dip my toe in the water to see if people liked it.”

Mrs Pett said she had never found muesli that she was completely satisfied with before, finding it too cardboard-like or dusty.

Mrs Pett uses jumbo porridge oats, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and whole almonds mixed with honey and local extra virgin rapeseed oil in her cereal – all of which is toasted on her Aga in her kitchen before raisins are added.

As well as the original variety, there are two luxury types with either chocolate or yogurt-coated raisins, which are a favourite of her children.

She said: “I get everything as locally as possible, and the chocolate and yogurtcoated raisins are sourced from Boroughbridge.

“As it is toasted it is kind of a mix between muesli and granola, but without all the added sugar and salt of granola.

“It is as natural as possible – obviously the honey adds sweetness but there are no other additives.”

This year Mrs Pett is too busy to attend the Homegrown Food Festival, but remains grateful to its organisers for giving her a platform to launch her product.

She said: “I am now on the cusp of expanding to more farm shops while still making it in my kitchen in my spare time.

“I work during the day for the NHS and weekends are family time so I am busy, but I really enjoy it. It is something that is just mine and it is great to hear people say they are hooked on it.”