Best pub pork products named

Pubs can take their pick of the best pork products in the business, after industry body BPEX named the winners of its annual Foodservice Pork Product of the Year competition.

Grimsby butcher John Pettit & Sons was named Overall Champion for the second consecutive year, this time for its Lincolnshire Yellow Belly Pie - made with a smoked cheese and named for the Lincolnshire regiment, who were nicknamed the Yellow Bellys.

The company also won the Best Cold Eating Product category with its Beaujolais Terrine, and also took second place with a Bloody Mary Parcel in the Best Innovative Pork Product category.

Owner John Pettit said: "We strive to make the best quality products and getting these awards just proves to ourselves and our customers that we are doing just that.

"The recipe for our pork pie is based on one that my grandfather was using when he opened the business back in 1892 and the yellow belly pie has essentially evolved from that. For the competition we swapped the plain pastry lid for a cheese one.

"It's a truly local product containing Lincolnshire farm assured outdoor reared pork and is topped with Lincolnshire Smoked Poacher Cheese. The Lincolnshire Regiment wore yellow tunics as part of their uniform - and the regional link along with the matching colour of the cheese seemed rather apt.

The competition generated 91 entries from butchers and caterers nationwide, many of them suppliers to the major pub groups.

BPEX foodservice trade manager, Tony Goodger, said: "Pork is such a versatile, tasty and cost effective ingredient. We know that many customers would order more pork dishes if they were more widely available on pub and restaurant menus.

"That is why it is important to acknowledge those producers that supply such wonderful, delicious quality pork dishes."