TV's most famous butcher - Coronation Street's Fred Elliott - is to have his own range of fresh meat after a groundbreaking licensing deal was struck between ITV and meat supplier Aurora Food Marketing.
The character, killed off by a heart attack before his wedding in 2006, will front Elliott's Prime Cuts, an 11-strong range of traditional fresh pork, chicken and beef lines.
Packs will show a picture of Elliott and the Rovers Return, and feature Elliott sayings such as "By 'eck, that's cheap" and "Aahh Saaay".
They would fill a gap in the market for branded meat, said Steve Allen, managing director of Aurora Food Marketing, which has secured the licence to use the Corrie brand from ITV Studios. "We wanted a compelling, memorable, likeable character to front the range."
The sausages Elliott's Prime Porkers will go into Nisa-Today's stores from 25 March and Aurora has contacted all the major multiples in the hope of further listings.
With 85% meat content and an rsp of £2 for 454g, the sausages will be positioned as a cheaper alternative to other premium-tier sausages such as Debbie & Andrew's and The Black Farmer, sold in 400g packs and retailing at about £2.60.
Two of the pork products the T-bone chop and rump steak had deliberately been given the names of cuts more usually associated with beef, said Allen. "We're using beef terminology for pork because basically it adds value."
The new range will be the first Corrie food range. Coronation Street beer is sold on draught through JW Lees pub estate and Punch Taverns.
ITV was considering rolling the brand into chilled and frozen ready meals and possibly pies, added Denise Penn, senior licencing manager at ITV Studios.
The other cuts in the meat range are Drycure best back bacon, loin joint with crackling, lean diced beef, lean steak mince, sirloin steak, steak quarter pounders, chicken breast joint, chicken leg, and skin-on chicken breast fillet.
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