BIGGER bangers have booked Kents of Dunoon a mighty fine place in the race to be Scotland’s champion sausage.
The popular local butcher on Argyll Street has secured the West of Scotland regional title and Reserve National Champion in the 2025 Scottish Pork Sausage contest.
Owner, Richard Longster, is delighted with the success.
“We’re just a wee independent shop, so to see off competition from some of the big players in the west of Scotland is absolutely terrific,” he said.
Richard is “thrilled” to have his banger chosen Reserve Champion for Scotland.
He said it is “the icing on the cake – it’s fantastic!”
Richard’s father taught him how to make pork link sausages when he started business in the Argyll Street shop six years ago.
“I wasn’t a fan of his pork links, however, so this award-winning recipe is my own creation,” Richard remarked.
“I used the same recipe when I entered the championship two years ago, but the sausages were slimmer. This time I entered a much fatter sausage and it’s done the trick.”
The executive manager with Scottish Craft Butchers, Gordon King, praised Richard and his team for their regional win, as he pointed out the high standard of competition the Dunoon entry faced.
“The Scottish Pork Sausage Championship is one of the most coveted and fiercely contested competitions in the business,” Gordon said, “and to lift a regional title and raise it to Reserve Scottish Champion is a real achievement and recognition of an outstanding product.”
He commented the standard of this year’s entries was “extremely high” and reflects well on local independent craft butchers.
Kents of Dunoon hand craft around 100 kilos of pork link sausages every week and they prove one of their best sellers.
Using Scottish pork and natural casings, Richard says the award-winning sausages are “quality through and through”.
The same quality and clear attention to detail won the business the Sliced Beef Sausage Diamond Award last year.
Richard is ecstatic to hold honours for both his iconic Scottish breakfast products.
“To have the best square sausage in Scotland and the second-best pork link sausage is quite an achievement.
“Sliced sausage is an iconic Scottish foodstuff, up there with haggis as a national dish, and there’s not a butcher in the land who wouldn’t want to lift this championship title.
“Previous winners have been butchers I admire, with skills I aspire to, so it’s just amazing to be on the role of honour alongside them.
“The whole team at Dunoon is on a real high!”
