SPAR to Stock Proper Local Pasties

15 May 2008 

 

Bodmin-based handmade pasty manufacturer, Proper Cornish Food Company has secured a significant contract to supply its acclaimed pasties and sausage roll to SPAR stores across the South-West.

 

The new chilled, ready-to-eat range of pasties and sausage roll is now available to 300 SPAR stores across the region through West Country SPAR wholesaler, Appleby Westward. Pasty lovers are in for a treat with a range of seven consumer favourites on offer, including Traditional Steak, Cheese and Onion and West Country Chicken and Ham.

 

Since its inception in 1988, Proper Cornish Food Company has gone from strength to strength, turning over £9m per annum and securing sales across the UK and overseas. The new contract with SPAR is a significant home win for the UK's leading pasty manufacturer, which prides itself on producing delicious, premium pasties made from the finest ingredients, sourced locally where possible.

 

Ronnie James, category manager at SPAR wholesaler, Appleby Westward said: "As the wholesaler for SPAR in the South-West, we find that stores are always likely to stock products from local manufacturers, especially as the majority of SPAR stores are owned, managed and run by local people. We know how important the Cornish pasty is to people in Cornwall and the South-West, so working with a Cornish expert such as Proper Cornish Food Company, was an obvious choice.

 

"Proper Cornish Food Company impressed us with its strong Cornish roots and commitment to sourcing local ingredients. The attractive packaging which reflects the company's provenance, fits in perfectly with the qualities we look for in a SPAR supplier."

 

Phil Ugalde, Proper Cornish Food Company managing director and co-founder commented: "It is absolutely brilliant to be selected as a supplier to such a major retailer. SPAR is the South-West's leading convenience store brand and we are the UK's leading pasty manufacturer, so it really is an ideal match!

 

"Pasties are ever popular due to the increasing trend towards people eating on the move and the demand for convenient, quality products. Our pasties are delicious eaten hot or cold, making them an ideal snack for today's busy consumer. It is wonderful to have the brand recognised by such an important retailer as SPAR. We look forward to building on this relationship and we are currently in talks with other regional SPAR operators. "

ENDS

For more information or images please contact Edith Barton-Harvey or Kimberley Holder at Grayling on 0117 922 7799 or email: edith.barton-harvey@uk.grayling.com

 

Notes to Editors:
Proper Cornish Food Company is the UK's leading handmade Cornish pasty manufacturer, with a turnover of £9m+ and 180 members of staff. Based in Bodmin, Cornwall, the company has been in the pasty making industry since 1988 and is an expert in producing high quality, authentic Cornish pasties, hand-making a whopping 15,000,000 pasties per annum!

 

In September 2007, Proper Cornish Food Company announced a £200K investment into updating its brand identity to better reflect the company's key product messages of provenance, premium and quality.

 

The investment forms part of Proper Cornish Food Company's wider marketing strategy to extend its bakery product offering. The new branding now features on everything from swing signs outside local bakeries to new delivery van livery. The Proper Cornish website has also been revamped to reflect the new branding and to provide greater detail of the company's history and product offering.

About SPAR:

SPAR UK is a symbol group with a turnover of £2 billion per year, and 12 million customers each week nationwide. Individual SPAR members remain independent whilst enjoying access to collective buying and marketing power, as well as the added benefit and resources of operating under a strong corporate brand. Retailers have access to national and local advertising, and SPAR Brand products, the biggest and best own-label in the independent sector with 900 lines and 1.4 million products being sold each day.