Charcuterie businesses form merger to scale up production
British charcuterie and smoked meat brands Rare & Pasture and Tempus Foods have announced that they are merging their businesses to expand production and increase sales.
The combined mission of the two businesses is to supply trusted, ethically-sourced meat and meat products that “are not just tastier and healthier to eat” but also “better for the planet, for farmers and their animals”.
Tempus Foods was set up in Weybridge, Surrey, in 2017 by Tom Whitaker and Dhruv Baker, both MasterChef UK finalists. Its award-winning product range includes salamis and whole muscle products such as King Peter Ham, Smoked Coppa and Bresaola.
Rare & Pasture is based at Fowlescombe Farm, a regenerative farm in South Devon. It produces a range of charcuterie products often using high-welfare meat from its own farm.
In addition to its charcuterie, Rare & Pasture produces a range of cooked meat products, some of them organic, including naturally smoked frankfurters. A key objective of the merged entity will be to make this range available through the combined Tempus sales channels.
Following the merger, the businesses will continue to trade under both the Rare & Pasture and Tempus Foods brands, with sales and distribution being led from the Tempus location and production and packing shared between the two sites.
Dhruv Baker, commercial director at Tempus Foods, said: “The growth of Tempus has been constrained in the past by the size of our production facilities and our access to working capital. By combining with Rare & Pasture, we remove these bottlenecks and position ourselves to better serve the fast-growing UK charcuterie market.
“Through this merger we will continue to make the well-loved products that both businesses have become known for and have greater potential to expand our range into related cooked meat products.
“Each side of this transaction has been hugely impressed by what the other has to offer, and we very much look forward to working together.”
Andrew Owens, chairman of Rare & Pasture commented: “The British charcuterie and artisan meat product market is highly fragmented, leading to an unnecessarily high cost base, often combined with supply reliability issues. Through this transaction we are creating greater supply capacity as well as product and customer service synergies that can accelerate the development of this evolving British food sector.
“Our mission is not restricted to either our existing geographic situation or our existing product range, and so it is hoped that this merger will also stimulate other like-minded artisan producers and farmers to offer their skills and products into our growing portfolio.”
Who will take home the award for Best Charcuterie Product?
Charcuterie manufacturers can take part in the 2024 Meat Management Industry Awards by entering their range into the Best Charcuterie Product category. The deadline for product nominations and voting is Friday 24th May, so be sure to enter in time.
The awards programme will culminate in a black-tie dinner and awards ceremony at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole on Thursday 19th September 2024, with celebrity host Martin Bayfield presenting accolades to category winners.
Products can be nominated here.
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