Chickolatas

Porky Whites owner Graham White & Co has launched a new line of chicken sausages.

Chickolatas went on sale in Londis and Budgens last week, while the supplier has confirmed further listings in Sainsbury’s and Asda for February and April respectively, with rsps ranging from £3 to £3.20.

The manufacturer previously worked on lines of chicken sausages for online health food retailer Muscle Food, said Graham White & Co MD Chris Price.

“The leanness of chicken meat in comparison to traditional sausages makes for a healthier product, but with this line that’s not the be-all and end-all,” said Price.

“There isn’t a huge selection of chicken sausages on the market, so the timing was ideal to launch our first retail chicken sausage, which we hope will appeal to tastebuds across the household.”

This time around, G White & Co was aiming for the premium market, rather than the health market. Its gluten-free certification and low fat content - at 1.7g per 42.5g sausage - were added benefits, said Price. This added to the line’s appeal instead of becoming the focus, he claimed.

With both breast and thigh cuts used to create depth of flavour alongside sage, onion and pepper seasoning, the brand was aiming for a roast chicken flavour, he added.

The producer had further chicken lines in development with a range of flavour profiles, Price said, adding that SKUs should be ready in time for summer with flavour profiles to “complement the barbecue season”.

The most high profile branded chicken sausage launch to date came from Heck in 2013 with its Chicken Italia sausages.