Dohertys gluten-free sausages growing in popularity in UK

Dohertys, the Northern Irish meat processor, has seen sales of its gluten-free pork sausages grow 20 per cent per annum since launching in Asda's Free-From section throughout the UK in September 2009.

The family-owned and managed company, based in Derry, also reports a year-on-year increase of 47 per cent in sales in Asda's UK network of 320 stores during the first quarter of this year. Doherty's has a heritage in quality meat processing stretching back over 150 years and six generations.

The gluten-free sausage was introduced by the company to meet a growing market demand especially from consumers with Coeliac disease, a common bowel condition. The sausages are also sold in Tesco stores in Northern Ireland and in a range of independents and butchery businesses throughout Ireland.

Brian McQuaid, sales manager at Dohertys, says: "The rise in sales is immensely encouraging and justifies our decision to invest in the development and marketing of the sausages. Gluten-free sausages are now among our most successful and fastest growing lines. We decided to develop the sausages in response to requests from customers with the condition.

"Around one in a hundred people throughout the UK and Ireland suffer from the condition so there was clearly a gap in the market that we felt we could use our longstanding expertise in meat processing to plug.

"Our market research found that it is a market that will continue to grow strongly in both long and short terms throughout the UK and Ireland.

"People with the disease are intolerant to gluten, a protein which is found in wheat, rye and barley. What we did in developing the sausages was to replace wheat flour with soya flour and thereby enable people with the condition to enjoy premium quality Irish pork sausages that offer a higher meat content than others on the market," he adds.

This commitment to higher meat content in its products is also seen in four new lines from Dohertys recently listed by Asda,Sainsbury'sand Tesco in Northern Ireland.

Asda has 18 lines from the company, which has Grade A BRC accreditation, Tesco 14 and Sainsbury's 10.

The latest lines include a Superior Beefburger, Beefsteak sausages in 454g packs, Pork Sausages (380g pack) and Beef Meatballs (360g pack).

Dohertys, which has been producing a broad range of meat products for over 80 years, has its origins in retail butchery business.

The company, which now employs 45 people at its modern and HACCP approved processing plant, produces sausages, minced beef products, bacon, ham and black and white puddings. Ingredients are sourced from a network of local suppliers, ensuring complete traceability.