It began with a book
1. It all began when my wife Sarah brought home a book about pork butchery for the coffee table. I remember looking at the picture of the salamis and cured meats and found the process fascinating.
3. Fast forward a year after learning the trade at the School of Artisan Food, I phoned my sister Janice (who was working in a bar in the Australian outback) asking does she want to come home and make charcuterie and Ispíní was born….
5. We absolutely love our wee business and still get so excited when customers enjoy not just our story but the great food we strive to produce.
2. At that time I was one the farming reps for the Ulster Farmers Union. The very next day as I was attending an event in Loughry College on behalf of the UFU, one of the college staff announced they were having a workshop for anyone who had a business idea. I raised my hand and said ‘I want to make salamis’ - but being a typical Tyrone lad I had never tasted one!
4. Ispíní is the Irish word for sausages. It sums up our range of continental pieces of charcuterie with a nod to our own food heritage
6. 2024 was a massive year as Peter Hannan (Hannan Meat) & Paul Clarke (En Place Foods) joined the business. We are delighted to have these two legends of speciality foods involved in the next stage of the journey!
golden fork winners
