Charcuterie producer Sigma Alimentos has expanded its UK range with the launch of The Mad Butcher in Sainsbury’s supermarkets this month.
The premium charcuterie supplier’s NPD will go on sale in selected Sainsbury’s stores on 22 January. The deal will see The Mad Butcher’s distribution extended to 173 Sainsbury’s stores across the country, as well as being available to order online.
The premium, traditionally produced charcuterie sticks are smoked over beech wood and dried and cured to give a rich, smoky flavour. There are two SKUs available: Chilli Pork Snacks and Classic Pork Salami Snacks, with each 70g pack of seven sticks containing over 30g of protein – comparable to consuming a large chicken breast or fish fillet, or a medium-sized steak. They recently won Gold at the Great British Food Awards in the charcuterie category.
The Sainsbury’s listing is a pivotal moment for The Mad Butcher, following a successful launch in Ocado last year.
Newby Groves, managing director of Sigma UK and Ireland, said: “Our collaboration with Sainsbury’s marks a significant milestone for The Mad Butcher, making our products more accessible to meat lovers across the country.
“The meat snacking category looks set to deliver significant growth, but to do so needs to bring new shoppers, and new occasions beyond lunchboxes. The Mad Butcher offers shoppers a delicious, protein-rich and convenient meat snack from the European experts in charcuterie.
“There’s a segment of the market seeking premium, authentic, traditionally made meat snacks at an affordable price, and The Mad Butcher is here to fill that gap. We’ve created the most natural product possible, focused on quality and provenance, to drive category growth and consumer expansion.”
The Mad Butcher product will be available in Sainsbury’s priced at £2 per pack from 22 January. The Mad Butcher brand is part of Sigma Alimentos, a global food business and the largest producer of charcuterie in Europe. Already available in wholesale, Sigma now plans to grow The Mad Butcher business within the retail market, further tapping into the growing UK trend for meat snacking. The category has grown 38% since 2020 and is on track to be worth £454m by 2027.
