Primrose Herd, a family-run pork producer based near Redruth, is ending 2016 on a high after receiving three major national awards.

Sally and Bill Lugg were surprised and delighted to be named Producer Retailer of the Year at the National Pig Awards, shortly after picking up two British Sausage Week awards; they were runners up in the Regional butcher category, and scooped a gold in the foodservice category.

Sally, who gave up her day job as a bank manager in 1999 to rear traditional breed pigs, said: “Both sets of awards are a big deal for the meat industry, and we were so pleased to be recognised by the judges.”

The National Pig Awards Producer Retailer award is in recognition of Primrose Herd’s marketing efforts, including brand development, and selling through multiple outlets such as farm shops, farmers markets, food box schemes and local cooperatives - as well as online.

British Sausage Week is all about celebrating the UK’s best butchers and producers of all sizes, and highlighting the great quality and diversity of the great British banger. The awards recognition comes at the end of an outstanding year for Primrose Herd, which has seen the business grow despite difficult times for pork producers.

Sally said: “Our model is based on ethical farming - which results in the highest quality meat - and personal levels of service and care for our customers. We can’t compete with big producers and supermarket prices so we don’t try.”

Primrose Herd pork is served by top restaurants and hotels in Cornwall and beyond, and is available to the public at Truro, Helston and Mullion Farmers Markets as well as via The Cornish Food Box.

It is also now available to buy online, something Sally says is helping Primrose Herd pork to reach new markets. “We’ve been particularly pleased with online sales this year. We now deliver direct to people across the country, many of whom first tried our pork while on holiday in Cornwall.”

Sally and her family are now gearing up for a busy Christmas, as they attend various farmers' markets and fulfil extra online orders for hampers and breakfast packs.