We are privileged and proud to have a large variety of top quality producers supplying their finest wares to GR Fine Foods. Some of these partnerships have been going for many years and others are just starting. Our new ‘Meet the Producer’ blog series is designed to introduce our customers and potential customers to the people and companies who provide the consistently excellent products to be found on our website. In the first of this series, we are off to meet with Jim Bungan, UK Sales Manager for Rare & Pasture, who are award-winning makers of charcuterie and smoked meats here in the heart of Devon and who we have recently introduced to the range at GR Fine Foods.

GR – Can you tell us a little about the history of Rare and Pasture, how the company began and the inspiration behind the brand.

R&P – Our team have been making charcuterie for over 15 years.  Graham, our Master Charcutier, spent time developing his craft in Sardinia, Sapin and Germany. We moved down to Devon in 2021 onto the idyllic Fowlescombe Farm.  This 300 acre Organic farm has enabled us to create a state of the art production facility and provide a range of products using organic animals from the farm.  Our diversification into cooked and smoked products, in addition to our core range of charcuterie, enables us to push our mantra of providing the best meats with no artificial preservatives or additives.

Fowlescombe’s Long and Short Horn animals fit the above very well. The organic and grass fed rearing allow these hardy breeds to develop slowly producing some of the most delicious Bresaoala, Frankfurters and Potted beef.

     

GR – What are the company’s core values?

    • Animal, Human and Soil Wellness.
    • A Safe working environment of Respect, Learning, Honesty, Diversity, Trust and Charity.
    • Devon Farm values.
    • SALSA, Soil association and PFLA accreditation

GR – Can you tell us what makes your products unique and why should people buy them?

R&P – We strive to let the quality of the meat shine by using artisan methods and natural ingredients.  We use organic meat from our own farm and other certified farms in the South West as well as high welfare pork and beef from a selection of hand picked partner farms. Our new facility at Fowlescombe farm enables us to produce high and consistent quality foods.

GR – What is your favourite product in the range and why?

R&P -That’s easy!! Pork Frankfurters. Our Pork Frankfurters are preservative free, additive free, gluten free and taste amazing.  They are so far removed from people’s perception of a frankfurter… Its always great to see the reaction on friends faces when they taste them for the first time.  One of the things we are trying to do is take the junk out of junk food.  The pork Frankfurters are a great example of this.

GR – What plans do you have for the brand and the farm going forwards?

R&P – We are on a pretty big growth curve for the next few years.  Our charcuterie remains at the heart of what we do but the demand for our Frankfurters is growing massively.  We are unique in being able to produce a “clean” product and I think this is what is attracting the interest from our new customers.  We are just embarking on an extension to our production facility and also about to install a demonstration kitchen.  It’s a really exciting time for R&P.

 

To view the full range of Rare & Pasture products please click here