Sales of ready meals containing liver are booming despite the waning popularity of offal, according to a meat ingredient supplier, which said it has seen demand from manufacturers rise by 50% in six months.

North Yorkshire-based Holmesterne has doubled production of lamb's liver to more than 10 tonnes a week since the summer and liver sales are running at £20,000 a week. MD Keith Tindell said he could see that increasing to £30,000 by next August, even though TNS showed a 1.2% fall in liver volume sales to 8,500 tonnes the previous year.

Holmesterne chops and cooks lamb's liver as component in dishes such as liver and onion, destined for supermarkets' 'traditional' section. He said the popularity of liver in meals was a long-term one.

"I was surprised to see the sales figures for liver rise so sharply," said Tindell. "What started as an interesting development in the meat trade has become a trend for this year."

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