Say hello to Britain’s youngest sausage maker

Heck has been creating premium sausages since 2013, producing low-fat pork, chicken and plant-based options, alongside burgers and mince.

Whilst it’s normally the new product development manager, Calum Smith, cooking up flavour combinations, this time round the brand passed the responsibility over to its local primary school.

In a competition whipped up by employee Mel Drummond, who works at Heck and has a daughter attending the Bedale Primary School, the North Yorkshire students were given the opportunity to create their own bangers, with the winning recipe to be brought to life at Heck HQ.

Eight-year-old Lola Fenn impressed the judges, which included Heck co-founders Jamie, Andrew and Debbie Keeble, with her ‘healthy’ Lemon & Honey Chicken sausage creation.

A special pack has been designed that features Lola’s name and her winning sausages will be available on the Heck website from 26 July for two weeks.  

“We’re passionate about getting young people interested in food and farming and this competition has really ignited the imaginations of budding young sausage makers,” ​said Jamie Keeble. “It’s been great to get the next generation involved in coming up with new ideas.​

“We loved Lola’s lemon and honey combination that works very well with the chicken. It’s a sweet and subtle flavour that’s perfect for summer and we’re excited for it to launch later this month.”​

Commenting on her triumph, Lola added: “It was really good fun coming up with ideas. I came up with a few different flavour combinations but decided to go with the lemon and honey. It’s exciting to think my sausages will be sold on the website and I think the pack looks really great too. I hope everyone enjoys them.”​

Heck is now in talks with major supermarkets to roll out the new flavour nationwide; and it’s also hoped Lola and the rest of the pupils at her school will be able to sit down for a bespoke lunch featuring the special flavour after the summer break.

In other news, Food Manufacture hears from five experts, including Heck's head of procurement on why self generating renewable energy is the way forward​​, ahead of an exclusive roundtable airing later today (Wednesday 24 July 2024).