Tag: We Hae Meat

Butcher reveals ‘world’s largest’ square sausage slice to mark first National Square Sausage Day

Ayrshire butcher We hae meat has created the ‘world’s largest’ square sausage slice to mark the inaugural National Square Sausage Day on 25 March. 

The giant square sausage slice – believed to be the largest ever produced – spans an impressive 30cm x 40cm, 25 times bigger than an average slice, and weighs in at 2.275KG. We hae meat teamed up with the Edinburgh-based Breadwinner Bakery who produced a colossal morning roll to fit the enormous sausage. 

Jamie (aged 8), Daisy (aged 8) and Leo (aged 9) from Dailly Primary School’s P4/5 class lent helping hands for the finishing touches, adding dollops of tomato and brown sauce.

Craig Chalmers, Commercial Manager, We hae meat said: “We produce more than 21 million slices of square sausage every year, but we wanted to challenge ourselves to do something really special to commemorate the first ever National Square Sausage Day.

“It’s been fantastic to see the enthusiasm for Scotland’s beloved square sausage since we announced the national day. Today, we’re inviting square sausage lovers in Scotland and beyond to join in the festivities by enjoying a square sausage breakfast, lunch or dinner.”

Pupil Jamie described the experience as “amazing,” saying, “The square sausage and the roll were huge – it was so much fun getting to be here to see it, and I know my friends at school are going to be really jealous!”

Established in 2007, We hae meat is a leading producer of premium meat products, operating from its Ayrshire farm and factory. The family business prides itself with a commitment to quality and traditional flavours, producing more than 21 million slices of square sausage a year. 

The farm-to-fork business is inviting families across Scotland to join in the celebration of the square sausage which, because it is thinner than a link sausage, takes less time and energy to cook, making it a more convenient and less energy-intensive alternative.

To mark the national day, We hae meat is also donating square sausage meals to the Dailly Community Pantry and all pupils and staff at Dailly Primary School, as well as sharing tips on social media on the best ways to cook and serve a slice.

We hae meat offers a skinny range, containing up to 75 per cent less fat and 45 per cent fewer calories than its standard range, offering a healthier alternative. For chippy lovers it also offers a ‘chippy-style’ range.

The company recently claimed the Green Family Business of the Year and Scottish Family Business of the Year awards at The Herald Scottish Family Business Awards, with the judges praising its sustainable practices.

We hae meat’s full range is available in major grocery retailers across Scotland, including Tesco, Morrisons, Asda, Co-Op and Iceland. 

Fact file

  • Ingredients included: beef, bread rusk, water and seasoning.
  • The average square sausage slice weighs 65g; We hae meat’s ‘world’s largest’ slice weighs 35 times that at 2.275kg.
  • We hae meat produces more than 21 million square sausage slices a year.

To find out more, go to https://wehaemeat.com/ and follow We hae meat on Instagram or Facebook.

We hae meat declares world’s first ‘National Square Sausage Day’

Ayrshire butcher We hae meat has declared 25 March the world’s first ‘National Square Sausage Day’, an occasion dedicated to honouring and enjoying the Scottish delicacy.

The farm-to-fork business is inviting families across Scotland to join in the inaugural celebration by enjoying a square sausage breakfast, lunch or dinner on the day, chosen because the 25th is a square number.

While the origins of the square sausage, also commonly known as Lorne sausage, remain a mystery, its status as an iconic Scottish food is undeniable. A well-known Scottish myth is that it was invented by Glasgow comedian Tommy Lorne, contrary to the widely-held belief that a West Coast butcher in the Firth of Lorne created it.

Because a square sausage slice is thinner than a link sausage, it takes less time and energy to cook, making it a more convenient and less energy-intensive alternative.

We hae meat will celebrate National Square Sausage Day on 25 March by donating square sausage meals to the Dailly Community Pantry and Dailly Primary School, and sharing tips on social media on the best ways to cook and serve a slice.

Craig Chalmers, Commercial Manager, We hae meat said: “We have a genuine passion for the square sausage and we’re very excited to declare 25 March the world’s first National Square Sausage Day. What’s not to love about a square sausage? It’s locally produced and the perfect shape for a breakfast roll, with no slicing required and it won’t fall out! And because it’s thinner it takes less time to cook than a link sausage, meaning when you switch to square sausage, you’re taking a small step in reducing your energy consumption.”

We hae meat’s 700g pack of square sausage slices will be on special promotional offer for £3.50 in Tesco stores across Scotland from 6 to 26 March inclusive, coinciding with National Square Sausage Day. The butcher’s full range is available in major grocery retailers across Scotland, including Morrisons, Asda, Co-Op and Iceland.

Established in 2007, We hae meat is a leading producer of premium meat products, operating from its farm and factory based in Ayrshire. The family business prides itself with a commitment to quality and traditional flavours, producing more than 21 million slices a year.

We hae meat offers a skinny range, containing up to 75 per cent less fat and 45 per cent fewer calories than its standard range, offering a healthier alternative. For chippy lovers it also offers a ‘chippy-style’ range.

The company recently claimed the Green Family Business of the Year and Scottish Family Business of the Year awards at The Herald Scottish Family Business Awards, with the judges praising its sustainable practices.

To find out more, go to https://wehaemeat.com/

Top Scottish food producer calls for traditional square sausage to be put back on the breakfast table

One of Scotland’s fastest-growing food brands, We hae meat, is calling for families across the country to bring the iconic square sausage back as a breakfast staple for National Brunch Weekend (30th September – 1st October 2023).

Britain is a nation of breakfast fanatics and is the largest market for breakfast food in Europe. According to data from Mintel, 51% of adults eat breakfast away from the table, while cereals and toast dominate breakfast mealtimes. This National Brunch Weekend, We hae meat is celebrating bringing Scottish families together, and leading the charge in reinstating square sausage as the best loved breakfast food.

Award-winning family farming and butchery, We hae meat, produces high-quality meat products, making more than 21 million square sausages a year. As Scotland’s biggest producer of square sausage, We hae meat consistently make an astonishing 500,000 slices of sausage each week. To put this into perspective, in one year, We hae meat could stretch a square sausage trail, with each slice measuring 11.5cm wide, from the northern tip of John o’ Groats to the southernmost point of Land’s End, and back again.

The origins of the square sausage, also known as Lorne sausage, are a mystery. A well-known Scottish myth is that it was invented by Glasgow comedian Tommy Lorne, contrary to the belief that a West Coast butcher, in the Firth of Lorne created it. Born Hugh Gallagher Corcoran in 1890 near Glasgow, Tommy was a famous pantomime performer and stand-up comedian.

One of his most famous sayings was ‘sausages are the boys’ and his favourite snack between acts was reportedly a sausage sandwich, which many believe inspired the creation of the Lorne Sausage.

Alex Paton, fourth-generation farmer and Co-founder of We hae meat said: “Square sausage is a staple component to the traditional Scottish breakfast, and We hae meat is dedicated to ensuring this custom lives on. This National Brunch Weekend, we extend an invitation to families far and wide, to come together and enjoy a true Scottish breakfast.

“We hae meat are committed to delivering top-quality products using traditional craft butchery methods and techniques to produce food that families can be proud to serve at their tables.”

We hae meat offers a wide variety of meat products from its core range, platinum range, sausage, skinny range, special editions and value range.  Available from major retailers in Scotland and selected supermarkets across the UK.  

To explore We hae meat’s wide range of products, visit https://wehaemeat.com/. 

Top food producer thrives thanks to net zero drive

One of Scotland’s fastest-growing food brands has announced that reducing its carbon emissions by almost 110% helped the company to survive Brexit, Covid and especially the ongoing energy crisis.

We hae meat, which supplies major supermarket chains with high-quality sausages and burgers from its Ayrshire farm and factory, installed a biomass plant on site and solar panels. The investments helped to save £750,000 from its annual energy costs.

Alex Paton, fourth-generation farmer and co-founder of the business with his wife Carlyn, said: “Without doubt, we could have closed our doors in the last two years if we hadn’t made our operations much more sustainable.

“The increase in energy prices, on the back of Brexit and Covid, would have been impossible for us to absorb. We’ve seen other businesses in our sector struggling where we’ve been able to use the cost savings as a basis for growth.”

The company first created a carbon management plan in 2015 with support from environmental consultants Tomson Consultancy, reducing its emissions by nearly 90% within the first year alone. It has since gone on to install LEDs and a wastewater treatment system.

Further savings have come from switching its delivery fleet to hybrid plug-in vans charged by the company’s own CHP electric generation, saving 66% on fuel costs, and using excess heat from on-site heat generation to replace tumble dryers.

These have all resulted in the business now being carbon neutral.

The family business includes four traditional farms and even the cattle gain from a greener approach as waste cardboard is shredded for bedding.

Alex added: “Brexit has affected competition for labour and maybe an inflationary effect on materials, and clearly Covid was disruptive for virtually every business sector.

“The increase in energy prices could have been catastrophic. We started on our net zero journey eight years ago because it was the right thing to do but now we’re really seeing the business benefits too.”

We hae meat’s achievements have resulted in it being recognised for sustainability with the Co-Op in Scotland Awards and most recently winning at the Scotland Food and Drink Excellence awards in 2022 for Sustainability Achievements.