LDC Top 50 2021
Nick Coleman and Udhi Silva
Founders
Snaffling Pig
“We want to be as big as Walkers and as loved as Lego,” says Nick Coleman. He and Udhi Silva are the founders of Snaffling Pig, which has completely revamped the pork scratching category with an irreverent crackling range.
The business has hit 26pc market share within five years. “We don’t want to stop with crackling,” says Udhi. “We want to be the brand that creates conversation between people at every moment in their lives.” This is why the brand has diversified into coffee, beer and even BBQ equipment. Snaffling Pig has 400 products now, and the business doubled turnover in 2021.
We want to be the brand that creates conversation between people at every moment in their lives.”
Q&A
How did Snaffling Pig come about?
Udhi: Nick and I met at BMI Healthcare and both realised at the same time that we wanted to be masters of our own destiny. We decided to start healthcare supply company Medical Supermarket together 12 years ago. We learned that our skillsets are amazingly complementary. That business was stressful and we worked long hours, so we wanted to spice things up. We each took £500 out of the business to start something from scratch. We thought, if one of us has created something amazing in six months, great, if not, what a wonderful learning experience. Nick started Snaffling Pig and got it going, and then I joined to help take it to the next level.
Why pork crackling?
Nick: I absolutely love pubs. I actually don’t drink much. But I love what pubs stand for as a melting pot of personalities and cultures at the centre of a community. I wanted to create a product that would encourage people to go to pubs. Pub snacks like crisps and nuts have been done to death by new brands, but the scratching has had no love, so we reinvented it – looking at flavouring, provenance and artisanal quality.
Where does your entrepreneurial drive come from?
Nick: We both just love the game. It’s about getting deals and having fun. Business is our hobby! Udhi and I are the Ant and Dec of pork snacks. At the start of the pandemic we created a bouncy castle business. We deliver them on Friday afternoons. Can you imagine, we had a meeting the other day where £2m-worth of business was being discussed for Snaffling Pig and two hours later we were packing up a bouncy castle for £60. Our accountant thinks we’re mad. But that business is going to turn over £150,000 this year; not bad for a side hustle.
