THE BRITISH BANGER COMPANY BORN IN THE UK

In a little town near the foothills of the Rocky Mountains is a rather unique business. Tim and Tracey Worsley are the owners of the British Banger Company, part butcher shop and part bakery with a growing side of deli and grocery. Since opening in 2019 it’s been a somewhat meteoric rise for the shop in this small community. From their humble beginnings of sausage and bacon to black pudding, burgers, pork pies, and more, the British couple from Lancashire are making a mark in Okotoks – and it’s all Made in Alberta.

“We won Best New Business of 2019 and we’d only been open five months”, says Tracey, in a video interview about the unexpected accolades. “Customers were thrilled to bits.” It’s a feeling palpable in every aspect of their business: a focus on their customers, dedication to producing an excellent product, and unwavering appreciation for their community. The Worsleys decided to open their store in Okotoks because it was their first choice of place to live when they arrived from England in 2009. “The town has always felt like home.”

It all started at home, quite literally. In 2018 the couple began making sausage and bacon at their Okotoks house and their friends became taste-testers. With positive responses to bolster them, Tracey and Tim decided to make their products available to the public and they used social media to help with sales. The enterprise was grassroots from the ground up, crafted with love and created with a nod to their original long-time family business in Lancashire.

The Okotoks shop is only a few years old but Tracey and Tim’s background in butchery goes back more than two decades. Back in the UK, the couple purchased their family’s business in 2000 and expanded into the space next door only a few years later. They continued to develop products and kept growing, finding more success after placing 3rd in a Regional Sausage Competition (for their Minted Lamb and Cumberland sausages). The Worsleys sold the business in 2008 and moved to Canada a year later, thinking they would look at retirement. That idea didn’t last very long.

Now with ample space in the British Banger Company’s professional kitchen, Tracey and Tim prepare a more complete line of butchery goods – from English Style Ham, dry cured bacon, burgers (including gluten free), lamb, and sausages to classics like haggis and Bangers Black Pudding. The shop offerings have grown beyond meats to also include other items like clotted cream and scotch eggs. There are also baked goods, too – pasties, pork pies, and sausage rolls. It’s a proper taste of the UK right in Okotoks, but with a twist: everything here is Made in Alberta.

The pork and beef are from Red Deer and the 4H group, and the lamb comes from a local farmer in Arrowwood who also happens to be English. “Knowing that our customers are buying locally sourced and produced food makes us proud,” says Tracey. Their core dried ingredients used are actually imported from the UK, putting an authentic ‘British’ element into this Banger Company. “Everything here is made by hand, which is time consuming, but it gives us a great sense of achievement.” The secret ingredient is really this attention to detail, whether it was those early days in their home kitchen or their current (larger) professional one.

“The moment we heard about Made in Alberta, we knew we wanted to be part of it.” Product traceability and accountability from the source are important to Tracey and Tim. “Our customers know exactly where their products originate. It’s something that offers a difference and builds confidence with their purchases.”

The British Banger Company’s customer base reaches well beyond the immediate area with people driving from Calgary and further; for convenience they’ve launched an online store. As immigrants and Canadians, the couple is eager to share a taste of their heritage. “We’re proud of where we live, where we’ve chosen to call home, so we’re excited to be part of the Made in Alberta program.”

Demand for the Worsley’s tasty goods from the little shop in Okotoks has meant opportunity for growth with other local businesses – from those first heady months when they won best new business and spread the love around the neighbourhood, to bringing more business to the locals they buy product from. And everything they produce is still made by hand. “We stand proudly behind all of our products,” says Tracey. Being part of the Made in Alberta program allows them to leverage the program’s recognition in a way that’s challenging for a small business and tap into the increasing appetite for local.

The British Banger Company and all the tasty bites they make can be found in Okotoks at A17 Elizabeth Street. To get a virtual taste of what’s in store, you can browse their growing line of

Made in Alberta products online at britishbangercompany.ca. When you do get to their shop, remember to bring your appetite.