What began as a hobby for James and Lucy Smart has grown to become an award-winning business stocked by premium retailers across the country.
From modest beginnings, Dorset charcuterie supplier The Real Cure produces more than a dozen products including salami, chorizo, pepperoni, ’nduja, air-dried hams and Nduja Relish, which this year won gold in the Farm Shop & Deli Product Awards. Specialising in high-welfare and wild British meat, it supplies retail and foodservice customers nationwide.
The origins of the husband-and-wife business go back 15 years. James was conducting ecological surveys in the Scottish Highlands and noticed the lack of a British outlet for the wild venison. The thought resurfaced a few years later, when he was working at a sporting outfitter in Pall Mall and Lucy was in food and drink PR.
“Some small-scale product development began using wild venison sourced from Dorset,” says Lucy Smart. “The hobby quickly got out of hand”.
The Real Cure was born in 2014, when part of a cattle barn on James’ parents’ farm near Shaftesbury was converted into a production space. “In the very early days, we would travel down to Dorset from London almost every weekend,” Smart adds. “Most weekends were spent producing venison salamis along with venison burgers and sausages. Friends would often pitch in to help, which made the whole experience a lot of fun.”
Those initial products were sold at Dorset farmers’ markets, country shows and events. When the business began supplying a few local farm shops, the couple struggled to keep up with demand. “It became clear that the business had real potential, so we decided to make the permanent move from London back to Dorset,” says Smart.
The business secured listings with Fortnum & Mason and Selfridges and, a few years later, achieved SALSA accreditation that enabled it to begin supplying foodservice and retail wholesalers. Together with direct sales, the level of demand has increased the size of The Real Cure team to 14 across production, packing and fulfilment.
“We’re proud to be a rural employer and to give our team the opportunity to develop specialist butchery and charcuterie skills,” says Smart. EU grant funding has helped expand the premises and continue production on the family farm.
The product range has grown considerably over the past 12 years. Wild venison is still at its core, but the business now uses high-welfare British pork, beef and mutton. The Real Cure has also started collaborating with like-minded producers, developing Black Garlic Salami with Isle of Wight Garlic Farm.
Packaging was switched to a recyclable format around five years ago. The designs set The Real Cure apart from the competition and increases visibility in retailers. Smart claims. “It’s an ambient product, which means retailers have a lot of choice in where they can merchandise it. Be that in the chiller or elsewhere in store, such as grab-and-go points for our snacking salamis.”
Many of The Real Cure’s products have secured awards over the years. Its Nduja Relish took a gold in the 2026 Farm Shop & Deli Product Awards in April. Developed using The Real Cure’s Dorset Nduja, a spicy spreadable salami, it combines the spicy savoury flavour of the meat with the sweetness and acidity of a traditional relish. “It was created as a versatile product that can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, from spreading on bread and crackers to adding to sandwiches, burgers and cheeseboards,” says Lucy Smart.
Winning the gold is a testament to the hard work and creativity of The Real Cure team, she adds. “It’s hugely rewarding to have recognition from such a respected industry award, and it gives us confidence that we’re creating products that really stand out in the farm shop and deli sector.”
Looking ahead, the Smarts and team plan to make further recipe development using high-welfare, well-sourced produce the heart of the business. “It’s been our focus since we created our first salami more than 10 years ago,” says Lucy Smart. “We’re excited to continue innovating and bringing new products to market.”
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