After three weeks of being hauled over the coles by Tesco and co for its part in the #horsemeat scandal, this week, ABP Food Group finally had some more positive news to announce (with a little nudge from The Grocer).
The crisis-hit meat giant has bought the Debbie & Andrew’s premium sausage brand from Vion after the latter’s retreat to the continent. Treated in the right way, it promises to have a much-needed halo effect on ABP’s reputation.
What ABP hasn’t got for its money, however, is Debbie and Andrew Keeble, the brand’s founders, who are busy pitching their new sausage brand, Heck, to retailers, which will soon be competing with ABP’s new signing.
And confusingly, retailers are still using the couple’s comments to flog Debbie & Andrew’s on their websites: “Our weekly family tasting sessions with the children help us ensure we continue making the tastiest, loveliest, most perfect of sausages,” the sales blurb states, despite Debbie & Andrew cutting all ties with the brand in spring last year.
The fate of Debbie & Andrew’s - and the ensuing mess those involved find themselves in - is a sad reflection of what happens when you lose control of your brand and should act as a warning to the new wave of entrepreneurs out there regarding the future decisions they take.
Lastly, a friendly word of warning to ABP - you might wish to change the sign-off after the sales blurb: “Debbie & Andrew, Real People, real food.” Just a thought.
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