Local firm, Red Rascal, has been chosen to represent the Newcastle Central area as part of a national scheme designed to highlight the best of British manufacturing and industry.

Constituency MP, Chi Onwurah, has nominated Red Rascal Sweet Chilli Sauce for the national ‘Made By Britain’ collection, as an admirable representative of industry in the Newcastle Central constituency.

Red Rascal Director Louise Bailey said:

“We are delighted to have been nominated for this award.

Red Rascal combines great ingredients to produce a wonderfully unique product. We have worked tirelessly to put Red Rascal on the local map and consequently are now having some national success. Being nominated for this award will bring an even greater awareness of the Red Rascal brand.

I started making chilli sauce 10 years ago for the family and wanted to create something that tasted fresh and sumptuous but didn't have a 'gloopy' consistency like all the others.

We started making the sauce from home, however demand grew quickly and we moved to the commercial kitchens at Westfield Girls School in Gosforth.

We now manufacture and supply a range of outlets, including the national Wyevale Garden Centre Group and in addition many of the independent Delis in the region offer a Red Rascal sandwich at lunch time and local and national restaurants are serving up Red Rascal on their Menu.

We have just finalised our special Red Rascal Valentines Menu 2012 and will be cooking and tasting at Newcastle’s Fenwick Foodhall on Saturday 11th February, we look forward to seeing you there….!

The national project is being led by the Associate Parliamentary Manufacturing Group (APMG), a group of cross-party MPs and Peers that works to raise the profile of British manufacturing and design.

The scheme was launched in July 2011 by Secretary of State Vince Cable. Speaking at the launch, he said:

"British industry remains among the very best for the quality and originality of what it makes. We export our goods to every corner of the world, from famous international brands to products which, while less well known, make a real difference to the lives of millions. With the Olympics bringing so much attention to Britain this is a fantastic opportunity to show the rest of the world that we make world-beating products.”

All 650 MPs in Britain have been asked to nominate a product that is manufactured in their own constituency. The product could be anything from jam to silicon chips, from baby monitors to farming equipment – the only criteria is that it is designed or manufactured locally.

Chi Onwurah, Newcastle Central MP who nominated Red Rascal said:

“A useful good quality product, made by local women, showing resource and initiative to create a growing market in competition with mass produced products from large scale food manufacturers.

Red Rascal is now featured in an interactive map on the APMG’s website, and will be showcased in several other projects the group is developing, including exhibitions and photography competitions.

Chris White MP, the APMG’s co-chair, said:

“Too many people in this country believe that we don’t manufacture anymore. Nothing could be further from the truth. The UK is, in fact, the world’s 6th largest manufacturer. We need a manufacturing renaissance in Britain, and encouraging creativity and productivity in each and every constituency will be critical to making this happen.”

The APMG hopes to uncover some hidden and inspiring stories of industrial endeavour, raise awareness of the challenges facing our productive industries, and realign the outdated concept of ‘manufacturing’ in the minds of the public.
 

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