We absolutely love our Gloucester Old Spot pigs, and so do the British public. I walk past them every day at work and they always make me smile. But why are they so popular?

Well today Mel, our Marketing Manager, has asked if she can tell you a little about them as she’s a huge fan.

Originating in the Berkeley Vale of Gloucestershire, Gloucester Old Spot are a native breed to Britain. In fact, they’re considered as one of the best-known pig breeds in Britain today. They’re so distinctive to look at making them instantly recognisable. It’s easy to see why they get their name!

Traditionally known as the "Orchard Pig" or "Cottager's Pig" because historically they were kept in fruit orchards to graze grass and clear fallen fruit. Farmers used them as living “lawnmowers” to eat weeds and clear windfall fruit. Rural folk law has it that their distinctive black patches on their coats are bruises left on their backs by apples falling from the trees. Our pigs live in woodland at Fordhall, but I don’t think their black spots are from bruises!

Many British consumers consider Old Spot pork as “real pork”, and “how pork used to taste” before mass industrial production. Prized for its traditional flavour, Old Spots have a layer of fat and marbling that keeps the meat succulent and flavourful. As the meat cooks, tiny flecks of the fat renders, continuously basting the meat from the inside out. This process gives the pork a rich, sweet, and succulent flavour while keeping it tender.

  James' Journal