Fortnum and Mason

Gourmet roasted pepper and tomato table sauces from PEPPUP have beenlisted by Fortnum and Mason for the first time. The sauces, developed by Luca Montorio, a native of Turin now resident at Portaferry, Northern Ireland, will be on the shelves of the upmarket London store in early May. It is PEPPUP's first major success in London. PEPPUP table sauces use natural ingredients such as roasted peppers and tomatoes. Last year he gained endorsement from the influential UK Guild of Fine Food in the shape of three Great Taste Awards. Fortnum and Mason has listed two of the company's three-strong rangeof sauces - Classic Roasted Pepper and Tomato and Mild Chilli. PEPPUP also produces a reduced sugar and salt sauce. All three sauces are gluten-free. Mr Montorio, commenting on the breakthrough business with Fortnum and Mason, says: "This is huge boost for the business, a tremendous endorsement of the flavour and quality of our gourmet sauces by one of the world's most prestigious and respected retailers. I am confident that other upmarket retailers in Britain and further afield will be influenced by this decision by Fortnum and Mason. "The PEPPUP brand is all about flavour, with roasted peppers the main ingredient. I didn't want to put any water or thickener in it but kept it as concentrated as possible. "What sets our table sauces apart is a rich flavour that comes from roasted peppers. I've kept the ingredients to a minimum to ensure the natural flavour of the peppers is paramount. "A key objective for me was to create a new table sauce that didn't compromise on taste. The sauces are authentic and versatile. They can be used to add distinctively rich flavours to any dish, or enjoyed on their own. "Apart from roasted peppers and tomatoes, the only other ingredientsare sugar, salt and vinegar. I've also developed a reduced sugar andsalt sauce to meet the requirements of consumers," he adds. Mr Montorio, who runs the business with wife Liz, plans to support the decision by Fortnum and Mason through a series of marketing initiatives in London and elsewhere in Britain to increase awarenessof his products. "I will be working with the Fortnum and Mason team on any samplings they wish to hold in the store. In addition, we've already signed upfor major food events including the big Taste of London show in Juneand other consumer-focused events in other parts of England and Scotland. We want to reach as many consumers as possible to enable them to taste the sauces and to encourage them to buy the products." PEPPUP is the most recent product from Northern Ireland to be listedby Fortnum and Mason. Other products currently available in-store include Himalayan Salt Chamber beef from Hannan Meats in Moira, Dromara's Abernethy Butter, Baronscourt Venison from Omagh, Glenarm Organic Smoked Salmon from county Antrim and Crossgar's Shortcross Gin. The business with Fortnum and Mason has been assisted by Peter Hannan, managing director of Hannan Meats. PEPPUP, which was formed by the husband and wife team in 2013, has extensive sales in Northern Ireland and also supplies Booth's Supermarkets in Lancashire. The products are based on original recipes developed by Luca and influenced by his upbringing in Turin, where his father, Walter, andmother, Sandra, still live. His mother, a painter created the company's identity and distinctively colourful label.