Morrisons won't stock new vegan pork pies in its Melton Mowbray branch to avoid offending locals who love the real thing, leaked memo reveals

  • The vegan pork pie range won't  be stocked in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire 
  •  Supermarket said in a leaked memo it wanted to avoid causing offence to locals 
  •  The town is known for its traditional pork pies, produced since the 18th century 

By Danyal Hussain For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

Morrisons will not stock its new meat-free pork pies at its branch in the home of the traditional snack, to avoid offending locals.

A leaked memo, believed to have been sent internally to all staff members, introduced the new vegan pies, but warned the range would not be stocked in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire.

The town is famous for its traditional pork pie and is also the home of one of the six licensed makers of Stilton cheese.

Wary of causing offence to passionate locals who are proud of their town's culinary heritage, the supermarket has told staff that it would stock only the traditional meat-based pies in that store.

Morrisons will not be stocking its new vegan pork pies in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, the home of the traditional meat snack

Morrisons will not be stocking its new vegan pork pies in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, the home of the traditional meat snack

This leaked memo, believed to have been sent internally to all staff members, introduced the new vegan pies, but warned the range would not be stocked in Melton Mowbray

This leaked memo, believed to have been sent internally to all staff members, introduced the new vegan pies, but warned the range would not be stocked in Melton Mowbray

The document added that if customers in the town ask for the vegan variety, staff must direct them to customer services who will arrange a home delivery.

The memo reads: 'As Melton Mowbray is celebrated around the world as the home of the original Pork Pie, the decision has been taken that only pork pies made following the traditional meat based recipe should be stocked in the store.

'Melton Mowbray residents are known for being fans/ambassadors of 'their' Pork Pie and so to avoid any offence we'll be delisting the vegan pork pie in this store.' 

A Morrisons spokesperson confirmed the memo was accurate: 'We have let our Melton store know they won't be selling the ''no pork'' pie due to the town's strong heritage with the traditional pork pie.'

The memo read: 'Melton Mowbray residents are known for being fans/ambassadors of 'their' Pork Pie and so to avoid any offence we'll be delisting the vegan pork pie in this store'

The memo read: 'Melton Mowbray residents are known for being fans/ambassadors of 'their' Pork Pie and so to avoid any offence we'll be delisting the vegan pork pie in this store'

The famous British pies have been produced in the Leicestershire market town since the late 18th century.

In 1998, the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Association was formed to gain protected geographical indication status for the snack.

Stephen Hallam, treasurer of the association, slammed the vegan offering as 'not a pork pie' and welcomed the ban.

He said: 'It's a case of semantics really, it can't be a pork pie if it doesn't have pork in it.

'The Melton Mowbray pork pie can never be beaten in the hearts and minds of the people who live here.'

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