FOODSERVICE PORK PRODUCT OF THE YEAR 2009

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Grimsby butchers John Pettit & Sons Ltd has won the prestigious title of ‘Foodservice Pork Product of the Year’ for the second consecutive year! This time it was a ‘Lincolnshire Yellow Belly Pie’ that really impressed the judges and secured the company’s position as Overall Champion once more.

Not only that, but John Pettit & Sons also won the ‘Best Cold Eating Product’ category with a ‘Beaujolais Terrine’ while also taking second place with a ‘Bloody Mary Parcel’ in the ‘Best Innovative Pork Product’ category, along with another 11 gold awards and three silver awards for other products it entered into the competition organised by BPEX.

Proprietor John Pettit was delighted with the results and said: “To be crowned Overall Champion for the second year running is just wonderful. 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. But 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 name ‘yellow belly’ actually comes from the Lincolnshire Regiment who wore yellow tunics as part of their uniform – and the regional link along with the matching colour of the cheese seemed rather apt.

“Now that the ‘Lincolnshire Yellow Belly Pie’ has the BPEX seal of approval we’ll be putting it into full production next week so that all our customers in the foodservice and retail sectors can take advantage of this delicious award-winning product.”

The competition generated 91 entries from butchers and caterers nationwide that supply the foodservice industry. Following an initial judging round, products from three finalists in each of the six categories of entry were put forward to the grand final held at Butchers’ Hall in London yesterday.

BPEX foodservice trade manager, Tony Goodger, said: “Our congratulations go to all at John Pettit & Sons; they’ve done extremely well in what was a very tough competition. The company has demonstrated for the second year running that its pork products are top quality and hard to beat!

“Now in its third year, the quality of products submitted into the BPEX Foodservice Pork Product of the Year competition continues to impress, and all of the finalists must be congratulated for their efforts.

“Pork is such a versatile, tasty and cost effective ingredient and customers love it! In fact, we know that many 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.”

The Foodservice Pork Product of the Year competition recognises and rewards product excellence and innovation in six separate categories: Fresh Pork Cut, Pork Ready Meal, Best Cold Eating Product, Pork and Pastry, Best Cured Product and Best Innovative Pork Product.


Notes to editors
The award-winning company often puts its products forward for competitions and the Foodservice Pork Product of the Year competition is no exception. At last year’s final (2008) John Pettit & Sons took the Overall Champion title for the first time with a ‘Tamarind, Maple & Madeira Stuffed Pork Loin’ and was also winner of the ‘Best Fresh Pork Cut’ and ‘Best Pork & Pastries Product’ categories. And in the opening year of the competition (2007), it won the ‘Cold Eating Product’ category with its ‘Lincolnshire Pork and Black Pudding Terrine.’