A third generation butcher from Aldershot has realised his lifetime’s ambition to have his traditional sausages – one marinated in beer – on sale nationally, thanks to an £80,000 investment from Dragons’ Den’s Peter Jones (Dragon’s Den; BBC2, 28th October).
When Paul Turner entered ‘the Den’ with his sausages, Peter Jones, best known for his telecoms and technology investments, saw the potential and offered £80,000 in return for 33% stake in the business.
With the investment, Paul has been able to launch his own brand of sausages made using the same traditional skills and craftsmanship he was taught as a boy. The Alf Turner range of quality sausages, named after Paul’s grandfather, will be available in two varieties: Best of British and Hair of the Hog.
The Hair of the Hog sausage is marinated in the multi-award winning “T.E.A”, Traditional English Ale, brewed by neighbouring brewery, Hog’s Back Brewery in Tongham, Surrey. It is a traditional pork sausage, delicately seasoned with sage.
Comments Rupert Thompson, Chairman of Hog’s Back Brewery: “T.E.A is our top selling, award winning, traditional pale ale, so the perfect partner for a traditional sausage – it’s no wonder it has proven itself worthy of investment from a Dragon! Paul came to us in 2007 looking for a beer that could be used to add flavour and juiciness to his already delicious sausages, and, after trying our range, he decided that it was the perfect balance of hops and malt in T.E.A that made the ideal ingredient.”
Comments Paul Turner, “I’ve always believed in traditional sausage-making methods, but I was keen to try adding beer into the recipe to add something new to the flavour. I have known Hog’s Back for many years and approached them as they have the same mindset as we do – traditional recipes with a modern twist. The addition of T.E.A in Hair of the Hog gives the sausages a really malty, earthy flavour and adds a lovely depth and texture. I think the two products work exceptionally well together and I was delighted that Peter Jones enjoyed it too!
“Our website, www.alfturner.com features a range of delicious sausage recipes including a reduced beer jus for hot dogs, a Hair of the Hog beer cassoulet, and a twist on the sausage sandwich.”
Speaking after investing in the business, Peter Jones said:
“When Paul made his pitch I could clearly see how passionate he was about his sausages, and when I tasted them I knew why. Paul’s is a family business with a track record of more than 50 years. Clearly they’ve been doing something right and I could see the potential. The sausage market in the UK has seen strong growth in recent years and is now worth over £700m. This has been largely driven by the premium sausage sector and there are clear opportunities for quality products like Paul’s.”
The family run business was established in 1956 when Paul’s grandfather, Alf Turner, opened his butcher’s shop at in Aldershot after serving in the Royal Army Service Corp for 20 years. More than 50 years later the shop still operates from the same premises.
Alf Turner’s range of sausages is available in a number of leading retailers. 29th October, 2012
Please shout if you would like a bottle of T.E.A and photography!
Cheers
ROZZA
Rosamund Barton
Director