Berkshire: Snaffling Pig appoints F&B heavyweight

Yattendon-based porky snack brand Snaffling Pig has signalled a new period of growth with the appointment of Craig Hughes as commercial director.

Hughes brings over 20 years’ experience in scaling F&B (food and beverage) challenger brands to the category leader, most notably at Hippeas, where he took the business to £10 million in UK value sales.

Reporting to Snaffling Pig founders Nick Coleman and Udhi Silva, Hughes will broaden the business’ distribution right across the UK marketplace, alongside expanding through a series of partnerships and product launches. His appointment follows Snaffling Pig’s rapid growth in the DTC (direct-to- consumer) space, seeing online growth of x10 in the period March – July, on the same period last year.

Following its record-breaking £1.3m crowdfund last year, the brand will also continue to invest in building its pub market share, seeking new ways to collaborate with the industry as it recovers from the COVID-19 fallout.

Hughes said: “Nick and Udhi have such a strong track record, this opportunity really excites me. They have those typical entrepreneurial characteristics of moving quickly, taking risks while at the same time, empowering the people they bring on board.”

He added: “Right now, the market’s facing real disruption. The challenge will be for premium brands to stay relevant in a price driven economy; innovation and a commitment to quality means we’re more than ready for this. With Snaffling Pig there’s a huge market opportunity to build an exceptional legacy brand, create magic and have fun. I love being part of this team.”

Since launching in 2014 – on the back of a £500 bet – Snaffling Pig has fast become known for its cheeky blend of great tasting, fun flavoured snacks and trademark tongue in cheek branding. It moved into the chilled pork market last year.

Nick Coleman commented: “Snaffling Pig has always been about delighting our customers. Craig really gets our commitment to constant innovation and product development as well as our innate appetite for disrupting new areas of the market. It’s such an asset for a business at this stage of growth, to have someone with Craig’s experience guiding us in this next chapter.”

Snaffling Pig started life in 2014 on the back of a £500 bet. Founder and CEO Nick Coleman set out to transform the humble, neglected pork crackling and scratching. That belief morphed into an obsession. A range of flavoured pork crackling snacks has extended to whopping great big advent calendars, wedding favours, a beer, a hot sauce, a cookbook and a huge range of gifts. Snaffling Pig products are now available in John Lewis, Selfridges, Not On The High Street, Debenhams as well as Tesco, Sainsbury’s, the Co-op and WHSmith. Snaffling Pig is based in Yattendon, Berkshire.