• Handmade and generously packed to perfection, this festive butty is a celebration of
Northern produce – right down to its final flourish of pigs in blankets crisps
• From the team behind ‘sndwch’, the launch marks the opening of a new venue in
MediaCity
• “We take sandwiches seriously – and Manchester deserves better”, says creator in rally
against uninspiring options from the big retailers
The annual unveiling of festive offerings from our favourite eateries signals the official
start of the Christmas season, setting the tone for the most wonderful time of the year.
But this year, the team behind Manchester’s fast-growing lockdown start-up ‘sndwch’
have created the ultimate, indulgent Christmas butty to end all sandwich wars – and it’s
only £4.50.
“We have packed our ‘Ultimate Christmas sndwch’ with produce from Northern
suppliers we love”, explains sndwch founder, Burnley-born Alex Markham.
“Everything
is made by hand. It’s labour intensive, but you can certainly taste the difference.”
The hero of any Christmas sandwich is turkey and Alex sources his from Colley Fold
Turkey Farm in Wakefield, a small family-run business that has been rearing tasty
turkeys for over five decades. For extra flavour, the turkey is then smoked at Platt Fields
Market Garden, a community market garden in Fallowfield.
Next comes the mouth-watering smoked bacon and sausage meat stuffing, both
jingling all the way from Grandad’s Sausages in Radcliffe, Bury.
sndwch’s cranberry sauce is a secret homemade blend with cranberries, orange and
Christmas spices, which is topped with a layer of spinach. And for the final flourish, the
sandwich has the option of being topped with Fiddler’s Lancashire Crisps, with a choice
of pigs in blankets or turkey and stuffing flavour.
The six merry layers of deliciousness are generously stacked into artisan demi
baguettes, which are freshly baked in-house.
“It’s a real collaboration, which celebrates and supports the brilliant suppliers on our
doorstep”, continues Alex. “Every year I feel totally uninspired by the drab, mass
produced Christmas sandwich offerings. We take sandwiches seriously – and this year I
decided, Manchester deserves better!”
The festive launch marks the opening of sndwch’s new coffee shop based on the
ground floor of Arrive’s Tomorrow building in MediaCity. The dedication to fresh
produce and the humble handmade butty is echoed across the whole offering.
Plush seating and Alex’s chilled electronica soundtrack create a relaxing place to eat,
work and meet – or simply grab on the go. The ‘Ultimate Christmas sndwch’ is also
available from sndwch’s ‘butty shop’ concession within MediaCity General Store.
The sandwich spot that prides itself on creating exciting vegan options, including its
bestselling ‘NOT a Chicken Tikka & Onion Bhaji sndwch’, has also launched the
‘Ultimate Plant-based Christmas sndwch’. It features a homemade red onion and fresh
sage stuffing, and ‘chicken’ and ‘bacon’ from THIS™.
Both meat and plant-based editions are now on sale, priced at £4.50. A wider festive
line-up also includes a dedicated hot chocolate menu, featuring a luxurious wild cherry
flavour, finished with cream and chocolate flakes.
Born out of lockdown and growing fast, sndwch was founded in 2020 and now makes
over 30,000 sandwiches each month. The business is on track to achieve £1million
turnover this year.
As well as its two sites in MediaCity, it supplies sandwiches to the entire General Store
group, which has outlets in Ancoats, Castlefield, Deansgate, Moss Side and Stretford
Foodhall.
The Christmas sandwiches will be available across the group, meaning even
more people can get their hands (or teeth!) on them.
Find out more at www.sndwch.co.uk/christmas