Grandmother's cooking inspiration for sausage factory (From Your Local Guardian)

Grandmother's home cooking inspiration for new Croydon sausage factory

11:40am Wednesday 9th June 2010 in Croydon By Mike Didymus

Specialist sausage maker Alex Dos Santos’ has gone from family recipes to factory production after opening a new manufacturing base in Croydon on Saturday.

Former chef Mr Santos has been making and selling Goan cuisine for four years, and has seen his creations feature on TV shows ‘Market Kitchen’ and the BBC’s ‘Indian Food Made Easy’.

The 49-year-old originally started a small-scale business in West Norwood selling food to the Goan community, but his TV fame meant demand for his sausages soared.

He puts the success of his sales down to the unique taste of his products, which mixes Portuguese and Indian styles popular in his homeland of Goa - a Portuguese colony for 250 years.

Mr Santos thanked Croydon Economic Development Company for playing a “crucial” role in getting his new firm under way.

He said: “They have helped me to negotiate favourable terms for a new lease with the landlord, acquiring a reduced rental rate for a couple of years and a rent free period whilst the extensive renovation was carried out.”

More information about Mr Santos’ creations is available at goanfood.co.uk.