Northern Ireland farmer's passion for quality cured meats wins deal with retail ‘giant’

Corndale Farm Free Range Charcuterie in Limavady, Northern Ireland’s premium charcuterie producer, has won significant business for one of the leading food retailers in the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Multi-award winning Corndale Charcuterie, a pig farm based producer of chorizo, salami and other cured meats, is now supplying its innovative cured meats to Marks and Spencer food halls in both Northern Ireland and the Republic for the first time.

Alastair Crown, Corndale Charcuterie’s enterprising founder and managing director, explains: “We were approached by Marks & Spencer Ireland in the early part of 2024.

"They had spotted our products in independent retailers across Ireland and had noticed our outstanding successes in both the UK Great Taste Awards, Blas na hEireann and the prestigious Irish Food and Drink Quality Award last year.

“They were keen to get Corndale products into their stores. They had a new focus on local Irish producers and especially wanted continental-style products such as those we produce here from our own free range pigs reared in Limavady.

“After negotiations and working out distribution channels, we started supplying them in early June 2024. M&S are stocking our core range of chorizos and salamis in all their food halls across the Republic and Northern Ireland.

“It’s a great and very exciting achievement to be supplying another and hugely important large food retailer in Ireland. Sales over the past three months with M&S have been really strong and forecasts look fantastic. This new business is allowing us to expand and grow our business even more,” adds Alastair, who

turned a passion for chorizo and a fascination with rearing pigs into a successful small business in 2012.

He had developed a taste for chorizo in particular during his time studying technology at Glasgow University. He subsequently began a career in solar technology while experimenting with his own cured meats. Chorizo and salami were then not produced anywhere in Northern Ireland. They were mostly imported by delis from suppliers in France, Spain and Italy.

“I didn’t see any reason why these products couldn’t be developed here as a local alternative,” continues Alastair.

The small farm, which rears heritage Saddleback pigs, is nestled in the picturesque and clean landscape around the Co Derry market town.

Irish Chorizo, the first product Alastair developed, is regarded as its flagship charcuterie. A beautiful blend of free range pork with the finest Pimenton de La Vera and the company’s own blend of herbs and spices. The chorizo is also gluten, wheat and lactose free and among the most acclaimed for quality and taste. Awards for the chorizo include a Platinum UK Producer in the 2023

Scottish Retail Food and Drink Awards; Great Taste three stars; and silver in Blas na hEireann

The M&S deal, Alastair continues, has encouraged him to expand the business that includes a small processing unit near the farm for air-drying, preparation and packaging of the range of cured meats.

“We have taken on more space at our processing facility in Limavady and aim to complete refurbishments on a new extension by the end of 2024.

“In addition, we have upgraded our processing lines and are in the process of installing a new maturing room, a new slicing and packing area and a new dedicated dispatch and loading sections.

“Starting with just four small Saddleback pigs, we feel we have come a long way on our journey to success in curing outstandingly tasty and quality cured.

“We won two Great Taste Awards this year for our highly innovative Nduja ketchup and our chilli chorizo.

“We have also just won gold at the influential Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards for an Irish chorizo produced for the Simply Better range of premium foods for Dunnes Stores. Furthermore, we have three products through to the final stage of Blas na hEireann, Irish National Foods, next month in Dingle, Co Kerry.

“Overall, it’s shaping up to be a fantastic year in business, among our best so far, for Corndale Charcuterie,” says Alastair. “We have no intention of standing still. Our plans to build on this outstanding success in the year ahead are already close to be finalised.

“We are focused on developing further sales of our existing products being created in both Great Britain and Ireland. We will be working alongside the M&S team in Dublin to expand sales of our foods to its stores in Britain.”

Among the most respected and hugely successful food retailers, M&S currently operates 38 stores and highly regarded food halls across the island of Ireland, including 16 in the Irish Republic and 22 in Northern Ireland.

Making a mark in food: Alastair Crown of Corndale Farm Free Range Charcuterie in Limavady, who’s passionate about rearing pigs, is now supplying Marks and Spencer with Irish chorizo and salami