Vegetarian square sausage hits the supermarkets

As growing numbers of people turn to a vegetarian diet, a version of that Scottish breakfast staple, the square sausage, has been created for them.

Scottish butcher Simon Howie has launched a vegetarian version of one of the morning favourite, developing the new meat-free alternative in response to the growing trend of flexitarianism, with consumers demanding more choice.

It is the first time a vegetarian version of the breakfast favourite will be widely available in Scottish supermarkets.

Scotland is a nation of square sausage lovers. Square sausage, also known as Lorne, is a hugely popular Scottish staple and Simon Howie currently sells 13 tonnes of beef Lorne every week, equating to almost 10 million slices per year.

The new soya-based square sausage is the third vegetarian product developed by the Scottish butcher, following the success of their wee veggie haggis (200g) & vegetarian haggis (454g) which has seen sales increase by 24% in the past year. Throughout the year,

Simon Howie’s vegetarian haggis represents one fifth of its meat counterpart, increasing to one third around Burns Night when it becomes more readily available nationwide.

Simon said: ‘Lorne, square, sliced, flat… whatever you prefer to call it, Scotland’s square sausage is almost a national dish in itself.

‘To date there has been no meat-free alternative available and we are extremely excited to be addressing that. Perfect for a meat-free morning roll, no one has to miss out on enjoying this Scottish classic any more. Whether you’re vegetarian, or simply looking for a meat-free alternative, we hope our customers enjoy this new breakfast sausage.’

Available now, shoppers can buy Simon Howie vegetarian square sausage in Scottish supermarket stores at Morrisons and Aldi Special Buys. It is also due to be available in Scottish Sainsbury’s stores from January 2019.