Melton Mowbray Pork Pies

1. Melton Mowbray Pork Pies Dr Matthew O’Callaghan Chairman MMPPA www.mmppa.co.uk mocallaghan@tiscali.co.uk

2. Melton Mowbray

3. Pork Pies • What’s important about a pork pie? • What it’s made from • How it’s made • Where it’s made • 1998 increasing sale of non-authentic pies • Action vs Marks & Spencer failed • Trading Standards: ‘passing off’

4. Melton Mowbrays

5. Pork Pies: 1998 • Pork Pie Market worth £160m • Melton Mowbray Pork Pies £50m • Premium and growth of MMPP’s • Increasing sales from outside area • Increasing sales of non-authentic pies • 45% of pies non-authentic and rising • No protection: consumer law or trade mark • Seek protection – European PFN Scheme

6. First Steps • Formation of Association • Specification: Melton Mowbray Pork Pie • What does it contain? • How is it made? • Honesty and openness • What makes it unique? • Where should it be made? • Research: Link product and place

7. Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Association Members

8. Formation of MMPPA • Started by non-producer – local authority • Independent Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer • Company limited by shares £1 • All members equal: 1 share = 1 vote • Funding on basis of turnover of pies • One very large producer (95%) + 4 smaller Charnwood Bakery Dickinson & Morris (Samworth) Elizabeth King (Bakers) Forryan’s (Bakers) Bailey’s (Butchers) Patricks (Butchers

9. Related Place History • 1700’s enclosure common land in county • 1720’s start of stilton cheese industry • 1750’s whey fed pigs increasing • 1753 formalisation of rules of fox hunting • 1830’s Melton Mowbray: 3 hunt capital • 1838 ‘Painting the Town Red’ • 1840’s Railway, expansion of market

10. ‘Painting the Town Red’

11. Evolution of the MM Pork Pie • Stilton cheese industry gave excess pork • Pigs killed autumn–spring, hunting season • so fresh not cured pork used; grey inside • Baked in pastry ‘coffins’ by farmers • so no hoops were used • Inedible pastry made edible, pasties were pies • To stop break-up jumping fences, pies jellied • Also helps preserve pies if no refrigeration

12. The Melton Mowbray Pork Pie • Ingredients • Fresh pork, flour, lard, water, salt, pepper • Not possible to supply locally, so PGI • Recipe – not written, debate on hand raising • Hot water crust pastry raised around a dolly • Filled with chopped pork season salt & pepper • Bake free-standing in oven • Inject hot bone stock jelly when cooler

13. Hand Raising a Melton Mowbray Pork Pie

14. Authentic Melton Mowbray • Made with fresh pork Grey inside • Baked free standing: no hoops or supports Bowed shape • Made in and around Melton Mowbray

15. The Melton Mowbray Pork Pie

16. Define the Area: Boundaries • Criteria – sold at Melton Market • Day’s ride from Melton, 25 miles • Natural and social boundaries • North – River Trent • East – Great North Road • South – A47 • West – River Soar

17. Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Area

18. Submission to Defra • Petition • Celebrity and political support • Concessions on boundaries • Transition arrangements • Considerable press interest • Increased sales

19. Legal Action - 2005 Northern Foods Judicial Review High Court 2005 Court of Appeal 2006 Generic Status Recipe Area of Production

20. Branding and Message Logo - “Authentic Melton Mowbray” Message When buying a Melton Mowbray Pork Pie check: That it’s bow-sided That it’s grey inside That it’s made in or around Melton Mowbray

21. Benefits All manufacturers have seen a rise in sales Major retailers switched before registration Northern Foods closed Wiltshire plant Invested £11m in Nottingham Factory 8 members of Association Protection granted June 2009 First ‘processed’ food protected

22. Advice to Producers (1) • Is your product unique: if so why? • Does it need protection and/or promotion? • Form an association; not everyone will join • How will you run the association? • Find a ‘driver’; producer, local authority etc • What are the ingredients common to all? • Can they be sourced locally? (PDO/PGI) • Is everyone agreed on how it is made? • Are there any old recipes around?

23. Advice to Producers (2) • What links the product with the area? • Is there documentation on the product? • Why is it unique from surrounding areas? • Why is it different from other products? • What is the area you are trying to protect? • Who is likely to oppose you and why? • What support can you get for your product • Can this be part of a wider strategy?

24. Promoting an Area through PGI • MMPP part of wider food heritage strategy • Link with Stilton Cheese

25. Melton Mowbray • Melton Mowbray Pork Pies • Red Leicester (Leicestershire Cheese) • Stilton Cheese • Capital of Hunting • Painting the Town Red • Third Oldest Market in UK • Vibrant Livestock Market • Home of Afternoon Tea

26. 250,000 visitors a year 2M visitors spend £65M Food Tourism

27. Markets Shops Restaurants - Cafés Bison Farm Brewery Centre Dairy Centre Diversity of Attractions

28. Belvoir Castle: Afternoon Tea

29. Museum of Food Food Trails Livestock Market Farmers Market Melton Mowbray: Rural Capital of Food

30. East Midlands Food & Drink Festival Largest regional food festival 200 producers Children’s Food Festival British Pie Awards National Rare Breeds County Show Victorian Fayre Events in Melton Mowbray

31. Ethnic Foods Halal Abattoir Tofu & Paneer Herbs & Vegetables School Meal Service Local Procurement Diversification

32. Rural Food Centre Major Visitor Attraction Research and Training 65% Jobs in Food NSA National champion Rural & Regional Food Investment

33. A Way Forward • List regional foods • Identify potential candidates: x per year • Commercial potential • Under threat of disappearance or alteration • Supportive producer group • Potential for wider tourism benefit • Support in bringing forward – ‘form filling’