Meat Merchant Launches Original Sauces For Richer Flavours
The Meat Merchant in Moira, Co Armagh, the successful retail arm of Hannan Meats, the multi-award winning producer of premium meats especially Himalayan salt-aged beef and sugar-pit bacon, has launched the first eight in a planned portfolio of quality sauces.
The eight sauces have been created as the perfect accompaniment for the company’s wide range meats which have been widely acclaimed for their rich flavours and have collected a host of national and international quality awards including a record haul of 28 UK Great Taste Awards from the hugely influential Guild of Fine Food. Hannan Meats in a Food NI member
The original recipe sauces, developed in association withexperienced chef Paul Clarke of En Place Food in Cookstown, another business in the Hannan stable which has also won a string of UK Great Taste Awards and Blas na hEireann Irish Food Awards, include M1 Steak; Habanero Hot; Sweet Chilli; Buffalo Wing; and Rib.
All the new products are under The Meat Merchant brand and are also being marketed within the ‘Serious about Meat’ theme. The sauces are available in 255g bottles.
In addition, a fresh tomato sauce for use with pasta dishes or pizza has been created. The Meat Merchant has been developing the sauce for sourdough balls from Zac’s Bakehouse near Ballymena in Co Antrim. The artisan bakery supplies sourdough to the Meat Merchant.
Peter Hannan, managing director of Hannan Meats, commenting on the decision to launch the new sauces, says: “We’ve been thinking about launching our own sauces for our range of premium meats for some considerable time. In many respects it’s a response to Meat Merchant customers who’ve been asking us over many years for guidance on sauces to accompany our meats.
“It is, therefore, a logical extension of our retail operation. It was also a decision influenced by the coronavirus lockdown which gave us an opportunity to look at opportunities to diversify the business, now a very well-known and successful brand with consumers especially in the UK and Republic of Ireland.
“Our high-end retail partners such as Fortnum and Mason in London and James Whelan Butchers in the Republic give us a prominent identity for supreme quality meats among consumers in both markets.
“We’ve researched both markets to pinpoint consumer preferences and also been guided by Meat Market customers about sauces and our plans to launch our own accompaniments.
“Our colleague Paul Clarke at En Place Foods, who has unrivalled experience in developing sauces, pastes, tapenades and relishes, worked closely with us in creating original flavours for diners will enhance our meats for consumers to enjoy,” he adds.
“We believe the new and delicious sauces are the outcome of a winning combination between a passionate producer of premium meats and a pioneer in sauces and other meal accompaniments,” Mr Hannan continues.
The Meat Merchant, located close to the Hannan Meats plant and its extensive Himalayan Salt complex at Moira, sells the company’s meats at wholesale prices. In addition, the shop stocks a host of foods from other artisan producers in Northern Ireland. Indeed, very many smaller enterprises have begun their retail journey with business from The Meat Merchant.
