A Devon-based company which specialises in hot and cold smoking equipment has reported a ‘huge surge’ in demand from online customers and the wholesale market.
Hot Smoked, which is based near Kingsbridge in South Devon provides a range of products that can be used on a regular barbecue to infuse food with a hot or cold smoked flavour. In line with many other businesses, its eCommerce business grew rapidly in 2020 as it capitalised on online demand, which grew as a result of lockdown combined with good weather and an increase in outdoor cooking.
In response to this, it has now upgraded its direct to consumer operation with a new website and fulfilment centre.
However, it has also seen significant growth in the wholesale side of the business with new listings secured with Blue Diamond, one of the largest garden retail groups in the UK, Arena Gifts (part of Moonpig), Gift Universe, and the National Trust where its Smoke, Whisky and Wine in a Box was part of its Father’s Day line up.
Hot Smoked was established in 2008 by Alyson Murray who said: “The pandemic seems to have turbo-charged growth with everyone eating and entertaining outdoors. These new listings are hugely significant for a small business like ours and very exciting. As outdoor cooking becomes more and more popular, with gathering friends and family for a barbecue one of life’s more simple and enjoyable pleasures, its clear there’s also an appetite to add a new dimension to food with our kits a great way to explore using wood smoke as an extra flavour layer.
“Demand remained consistent this winter, due to the great gifting potential of our starter hot smoking kits for Christmas and a steady increase in cooking outdoors, whatever the weather, made much easier by the ‘set up and leave to slow cook’ technique of hot smoking. We’ve also noticed a shift away in barbecues being the territory of males, with more women taking up the mantle.”
Until earlier this year, Hot Smoked packing and fulfilment was carried out in a barn at Alyson’s farm in mid-Devon. This process is now undertaken at a specialist site in Witheridge which can handle the larger volumes.
Ms Murray continued: “As a Devon-based company, producing a hand-made product, we are delighted to have kept this side of the business in the county. Outsourcing this has enabled us to continue to look at new avenues for growth.”
From a background in international marketing, working with brands like Orange and Timex, Alyson launched Hot Smoked from a love of cooking outdoors. This prompted her to develop a range of starter kits so that people can explore using wood smoke as an extra flavour layer in outdoor cooking. Winning overall Gift of the Year with her BBQ Hot Smoking Kit in 2019 and subsequent awards success has helped propel the company into the wider gift marketplace. The kits include pure wood smoking chips, spices and accessories along with detailed directions and recipe ideas from meats and fish to vegetarian dishes to desserts. ‘Because BBQ isn’t just about meat’ says Alyson
The wood chips are sustainably sourced and available in a range of flavours, such as oak, hickory apple, cherry and maple. The newly launched website features an array of recipes and detailed tips and techniques, underpinned by Hot Smoked’s 12 years of experience in the BBQ and food smoking world.
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