A DEAL has been inked to bring vegetarian versions of a famous Bury black pudding to the shelves of supermarket giant Asda.

Bosses at Bridgehall Lane firm Bury Black Puddings, who say they are home to the borough’s only manufacturer of the delicacy, have been perfecting their puds since they were launched in 2017.

And now their meat-free sausages will be appearing in the cooked meats freezers at more than 300 Asda stores, starting this month.

Matthew McDermid, the company’s brand and marketing manager, said: “We have seen the demand for our vegetarian and vegan black pudding increase significantly over the past 12 to 18 months.

“And given Asda’s keen focus on plant-based options, it made sense for us to approach them with our meat free alternative.”

The company, whose traditional fare is made using a recipe dating back more than a century, has been a supplier to the supermarket chain since 2002.

Mr McDermid added: “We have seen the market change since the pandemic - consumers have had more time to experiment with foods and re-examine what food products they are purchasing.

“Sales of vegan, vegetarian and plant-based food options are increasing each month with all supermarkets, so we are delighted to see our vegetarian and vegan black pudding available with a national retailer like Asda.”

Retired Farnworth butcher Jack Morris and son Richard have worked with the firm since the early Noughties on the brand. Jack ran his own black pudding competitions from the 70s onwards.

The company, a past winner at the Made in Bury business awards, has turned its hand to making chilli and gluten-free varieties in the past, along with Irish-style white puddings.

And their products have also found their way into the stockrooms of fellow supermarkets Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Waitrose, Booths, the Co-op, Iceland and Tesco.