Hog roast wins new award for innovation

A Suffolk pig producer has become the inaugural winner of the ABN Innovation Award for a marketing scheme focusing on expanding the British pork market.

Alastair Butler, 29, from Halesworth was presented with the award during a ceremony at this year’s Pig and Poultry Fair at Stoneleigh Park.
Mr Butler’s idea involves focused on improving rates of the amount of meat used domestically from pigs, educating consumers on the advantages of slow roasting shoulder meat.

“Pork shoulder is great value of money when compared with beef, fish, lamb and other sources of protein,” Mr Butler said.

“It’s basically just your meat, slow roasted and served in rolls with apple sauce as a hog roast which unlike other roasts you don’t need to muck around with vegetables and all the trimmings.

“In society we look for convenience and this is a very convenient way to cook pork and possibly the most tasty.”

Other finalists for the award were Tom Martindale, 22, from Hampshire, who planned a scheme where consumers purchase a pig shortly after if finishes suckling.
The purchasers then watch it grow through farm visits and a webcam until slaughter when they are delivered the meat, cut in whatever style they wish.

Kerri Worrall, 32 from Norfolk envisaged a loyalty card scheme for purchasing British produced similar to the reward schemes operating in supermarkets. Noble Foods chief executive officer Peter Thornton said the finalists were talented but Mr Butler’s shone through.

“The three finalists here are fantastic and their ideas are so diverse and varied, but we really felt we can see Alastair’s concept really driving through a brand of real excitement,”

“It could develop in a concept that over time the industry could own.”

Mr Butler received a cheque for £1000 and the first ABN Innovation Award trophy.

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