Food experts at the University of Nottingham have helped a new venture develop the perfect meatless pork pie. Jampa’s Original Porky Pie started life as a lockdown idea from chef Richard Fox who wanted to create a plant-based pie to rival the appearance, texture and taste of a traditional pork pie.
He was helped by food technologists at the Food Innovation Centre at the University of Nottingham to perfect his Porky Pie and take it to market. He said it had already been picked up by the retail and the wholesale sectors, and there was interest from the food service sector too.
Jampa’s officially launched at Food & Drink Expo at the NEC, in Birmingham, with their Original and Spicy Chorizo Porky Pies both winning won gold awards at the neighbouring Farm Shop & Deli Show. A meat-free steak and ale pie will follow shortly.
The original Jampa’s plant-based Porky Pie tasted early success when it was previewed onto the market last year, winning the Dragon’s Pantry feature at the inaugural World Plant Based Expo Europe. Since then, Richard and his business partner Simon Hurley have been working to secure investment, develop new products, upscale the business, find a manufacturing partner and bring Jampa’s Porky Pies to market. They are already thinking about further growth.
Cookbook author and ex-carnivore Richard said: “I didn’t give up meat because I don’t like the taste of it, as a former meat eater, perfecting vegan alternatives has been a passion of mine for some time.
“It was important that the end result had the appearance, texture and most importantly, taste, of an actual pork pie. My mission was to give committed meat eaters, flexitarians and vegans everywhere the ultimate meaty experience - without actually eating meat.
“It started as a labour of love when I was playing around in the kitchen during lockdown. It became an obsession to create the perfect plant-based pork-style pie. I wanted to create something that would give a meat-eater a quality experience comparable to a pork pie. It took six months to get the texture right.
“While this started out as passion project, I was bowled over by the positive feedback and the encouragement I received towards launching in the retail market. I wanted Porky Pies to retain their artisan status and as a chef, I flatly refused to create anything that wasn’t entirely natural or that would require ultra-processing. After careful development, I’m proud to say that we’ve achieved that goal.”
He said Jampa’s 100 per cent plant-based Porky Pies have zero cholesterol and the effort that goes into it produces around 70 per cent less carbon emissions than a traditional meat pork pie.
Jampa’s products are also free from artificial additives and additives.
Richard said: “We were introduced to the University of Nottingham Food Innovation Centre, and they have become integral parts of our team.
“It’s very much a collaboration. Annie brings that fantastic scientific expertise and background to help in the development process. She’s applying science when I was applying chance which can save a huge amount of time.
“I think what they do is fantastic. The facilities are fantastic, and the support is too. They are a great asset to the team and are very much part of the team and that’s how we view them. It gives me another sounding board. It really helps to have that resource at hand.”
The brand is now sold in supermarket chain Booths across all its 28 stores in the north, with plans to launch into Waitrose too. It is also available via wholesaler Cotswold Fayre, the largest independent wholesaler supplying farm shops and delis in the UK.
For retail, the Jampa’s Porky Pies will be sold baked and chilled. For foodservice, and retail, they can also be supplied unbaked and frozen.
The Food Innovation Centre, based at the Bioenergy and Brewing Science building at the University of Nottingham’s Sutton Bonington campus, offers free support to eligible small and medium-sized food and drink manufacturers in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.
University food innovation technologist Dr Annie Blissett, who supported Jampa’s with technical advice and knowledge, said: “This is a really exciting plant-based range, and it was brilliant to see it being showcased at the Food & Drink Expo and to hear that the brand is already achieving success with awards and listings.
“Jampa’s is a highly innovative plant-based food company. With the ethos of ‘alchemy not chemistry’, the company has a strong moral drive to study, learn and create 100 per cent plant-based products which look, smell and taste as good as their traditional counterparts.
“The role of the Food Innovation Centre is to support innovation ideas in the food and drink sector and the team was delighted to help the Jampa’s enterprise on its journey from inception to launch. We wish them our very best for the future.”
