Gourmet SAUSAGES
Before creating the Simply Sausages shop chain in London, Martin had already enjoyed an illustrious career in food; running his own restaurants and teaching at Westminster Kingsway College. It was Simply Sausages that led him to Cranswick and his role as co-founder of the Cranswick Gourmet Sausage Company.
The start of something special
The Cranswick Gourmet Sausage Company began life more than 25 years ago when we partnered with Martin. The story goes that two of Cranswick’s Directors were returning from a meeting when they passed by his sausage shop in Smithfield Market. Their attention was instantly drawn to his window, dressed with colourful displays of hand-linked gourmet sausages, so unlike the standard sausages available at the time. This chance encounter helped build the foundations for the thriving gourmet sausage business we have today.
"The Cranswick Gourmet Sausage Company laid the foundations of our business: it was the blueprint for upscaling artisan food production"
Sausages of Distinction
We created The Cranswick Gourmet Sausage Company with the ambition of bringing gourmet sausages, made with prime cuts of British pork, to the supermarket shelves.
Back in 1995 we approached Sainsbury’s, a supermarket well known for innovation and together we launched a new range of gourmet sausages – Sainsbury’s 'Sausages of Distinction'. We still work together, producing their range of 'Taste the Difference' sausages.
ORIGINAL GOURMET RECIPES
The original 12 recipes were inspired by flavours from all over the world, including Toulouse, Italian and Spanish, as well as some classic British flavour combinations such as Pork & Apple, Lamb & Mint and Cumberland. These hand-linked sausages were made with the very best cuts of British pork, fresh herbs and wines, just like the ones Martin made in his shops.
We still use these principles today and remain true to the methods of sausage production that Martin brought to us in 1995.