The Ginger Pig

Butchers and Farmers of Rare Breeds reared on the farms of North Yorkshire Moors

“One of the most respected meat producers in Britain”
The Observer Food Monthly

“Food Awards 2009 – The Winners”
The Observer Food Monthly, March 2009

Winner of The Observers Producer of the Year Award, 2006

 

Runner-Up Great British Food Award

Aptly named after the golden coat of the Tamworth pig, The Ginger Pig really is a business which began as a hobby. When founder Tim Wilson discovered he had pregnant Tamworth pigs on his Nottinghamshire farm, he knew he would have to find something to do with the large quantities of meat they would one day become. After taking a place at Henrietta Green's First Food Lover's Fairs at Borough Market in 1998, and selling out of produce two days running, the Ginger Pig set up a stand and became a regular at Borough Market. The success at Borough Market led to the opening of the shop on Moxon Street in London in 2003.

The Farms
"We keep our animals outdoor wherever possible, and with the beautiful landscape in which they occupy, why wouldn't we? We refuse to feed our livestock using bought in, artificial foods, containing unnecessary proteins. Instead we use 300 acres of the farm land at Blansbt Park to grow barley, wheat, oats and fodderbeat in which to feed our animals" - Tim Wilson.

There are tree farms in Yorkshire that provide the ideal habitat to raise the finest animals. The Ginger Pig strongly believes that it is very important to raise the animals in this way, and it is something they will never change. Feeding their livestock on natural produce means the animals grow slower than animals raised on artificial foods. This means that they have to leave the animals for longer before having them slaughtered.

The Ginger Pig are very proud producers of the selection of traditional breeds that live on their land; The Longhorns and Tamworth, the Swaledales, and Texels and Dorsets. The Ginger Pig refuse to supply to the big supermarket chains, preferring to sell the meat directly to customers. The Green Dragon is one of the very few restaurants the Ginger Pig supply their meat too, because we promise to use the whole of every animal they slaughter, ensuring the ethical approach. Every last bit is used to create a tasty, traditional stock or broth.