A FIRST new flavour of crisp for several years will see one of northern Lincolnshire's finest food firms unite with a specialist farmer and butcher from Yorkshire.
Chorizo is coming to the Pipers Crisps range, with yet another artisan producer brought on board.
Alex Albone's team from Elsham Wold Industrial Estate has discovered Chris Wildman's rearing and butchery talents, focused on a rare-breed Oxford Sandy And Black pigs, that are used to create unique Yorkshire chorizo in the on-site charcuterie at Kirkby Malham.
Delighted to have found a suitable source from the rich rural setting by the Yorkshire Dales National Park, Mr Albone said: "I'd wanted a meat flavour in the range for some time, but hadn't found the right taste or an appropriate producer.
"When I visited Chris at his family-run enterprise, where there are three generations working together, I knew I'd found the taste and provenance I was looking for.
"Chris himself is a fifth generation butcher, so he knows a thing or two about meat. The on-site charcuterie is really exciting. Chris uses only local, rare-breed, outdoor-reared pigs to produce a range of hams, bacons and sausages – including chorizo – for local businesses and farmers' markets. This delicious Kirkby Malham chorizo is the perfect taste for our crisps – a distinctive, strong flavour without being too salty."
The dry-cured sausage is traditionally made in Spain, Portugal and South America and there are many different recipes.
Kirkby Malham chorizo contains coarsely ground pork, hand-mixed with smoked paprika, pepper, garlic and ginger. Once the mix has been prepared and put into its skin, it's hung for three weeks to dry and cure.
Mr Albone added: "Unlike many crisp manufacturers, we don't go in for fashionable or seasonal flavours – we're only interested in long-term relationships with specialist, artisan flavour partners. Our range now includes eight great flavours, so there's something for everyone."
A total of 46 people now work for Pipers, with a new warehouse one of the latest investments on the business park just off the A15.
Mr Wildman won the Local Producer award at the Yorkshire Life Food & Drink Awards 2011-12.
He said: "This isn't a large-scale business – it's all about quality rather than quantity. We carefully combine the finest ingredients, local where possible, and take the time to produce a true artisan product."
