After an injury brought his professional rugby career to a halt, Jolly Hog co-founder Olly Kohn started selling sausages at Twickenham Stoop stadium. Meat Management hears how the business has seen increased interest in its products.
Bristol-based The Jolly Hog prides itself on using 100% outdoor bred pork, and can be found on various supermarket shelves across the UK. It also has its very own restaurant, Pigsty, in the city, serving up hot dogs, pork baps and pulled pork for hungry customers.
Olly commented: “In a nutshell, we are a family-run meat business. I started the company with my brothers, Max and Josh, after a rugby injury left me with some unexpected spare time. With a serious love for sausages, I began selling them at Twickenham Stoop back in 2007.
“Our mission is simple, champion high-welfare British meat with a relentless obsession for flavour. What began as a small events business selling sausages has grown into a brand you’ll find in supermarkets and on restaurant menus across the country.”
Its Proper Porker sausage, which is seasoned with sage and black pepper, is its classic, go-to product for consumers, said Olly: “But we’ve also got a loyal following of die-hard fans who swear by our Black Pudding Porkers. It’s a stand-out sausage and my personal favourite, packed with generous chunks of black pudding, and sweet apple”.
This year, The Jolly Hog has observed an increase in frequency of purchase, which Olly said was driven by increased competition and promotion across the retail landscape.
Olly continued: “There has been loads of great innovation in the category – sausages are getting more premium and perhaps more indulgent (see the new bigger four-pack sausages), with more foody flavour, and providing a great replacement for more expensive meats in the market. They are less of a commodity than they used to be, and a legitimate replacement for other cuts of meat. Plus, they bring flavour to your meal without complicated cookery.”
He went on to highlight that consumers were being more imaginative with their meals by not just cooking sausages with mash: “Our limited-edition seasonal ranges match flavours with the seasons and what people are likely to be cooking. We had Garlic in summer, which paired fantastically with pasta or salads, and have just launched a Leek Porker – great in casseroles or pies.”
Consumers seek convenience
“The big trends in meat are ‘less and better’ as well as convenience (ie reduced cooking time),” Olly commented. “People want restaurant-quality food on their tables at home, because they’re going out less, but also because they’re becoming more informed on food generally (more and more people consider themselves a ‘foody’).
“Consumers are also more cognisant of what type of meat they’re buying – willing to have less quantity if they’re buying better – which means better flavour, better quality, better welfare.
“The move by Waitrose to go to 100% free range on its pork is a real sign that there is change afoot, and we think welfare will only become more important to consumers looking to buy quality meat.”
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