Peperami

Peperami is a branded meat-snacking range best known in the United Kingdom for individually packaged salami-style sticks. The core product is made primarily from pork and is positioned as a portable, strongly flavoured snack rather than as a conventional sliced-meat product. Its products are sold through supermarkets, convenience stores and independent retailers, with the principal markets identified for the brand being the United Kingdom, Ireland and Mexico. Production is associated with Jack Link’s facility in Ansbach, Germany. The brand was introduced in 1979 and subsequently became part of Unilever’s broader global meat-snacking portfolio. Peperami’s public identity has been shaped as much by advertising as by the food itself. From the early 1990s, the central creative device was “Animal,” an anthropomorphised sausage character presented as unruly, comic and deliberately exaggerated. The character was created by the advertising agency Lowe and first appeared in a 1993 television advertisement using the line “Peperami, it’s a bit of an animal,” or variations of it. Early versions used stop-motion animation, with comedian Adrian Edmondson providing the voice. The mascot became a long-running visual and verbal shorthand for the brand and was later revived in computer-generated form. Animal also supported activity beyond television advertising. A point-and-click PC game titled Animal was released in 1996, extending the character into an interactive format. After a period in which the mascot was less prominent, it returned to television campaigns in 2015. Subsequent product expansion created additional character variants, including Beef Animal for the beef range and a Chicken Animal associated with the chicken-bite line. Peperami’s portfolio has broadened beyond its original pork sticks. A beef variant was introduced in 2017, while a Peperami and Cheese Snack Box was added in November 2018. In April 2019, the brand introduced a chicken product called Pep’d Up Chicken Bites. These additions allowed the brand to use its existing character-based identity across different meat formats and flavours while retaining the emphasis on convenient snacking. In 2003, Unilever revised the product formula in an effort to respond to more health-conscious consumers. The reformulation was described as reducing fat, saturated fat and salt content. The brand later relied on partnerships and promotional activity to refresh the Animal platform, including a 2016 tie-in with the Angry Birds film and a 2018 partnership with Merlin Entertainment involving Thorpe Park and Alton Towers. In 2018, the “Brothers From Another Mother” campaign placed the original Pork Animal and the newer Beef Animal together in television and environmental media. Ownership changed in 2014. On 21 February that year, Unilever announced that it had agreed to sell its meat-snacks business to Jack Link’s for an undisclosed amount. The transaction included Peperami and BiFi, another meat-snack brand sold primarily in Germany. Peperami has since operated within Jack Link’s portfolio. The brand remains active, with its identity centred on portable meat snacks, bold seasoning and distinctive, humorous character advertising.

Peperami was introduced in 1979 as a branded meat snack. Its core proposition was a compact, individually packaged salami-style product that could be eaten without preparation and distributed through both major retailers and smaller independent outlets. The range became particularly associated with the United Kingdom, while also being sold in Ireland and Mexico. During its period under Unilever ownership, Peperami formed part of the company's wider meat-snacking activities. In 2003, Unilever adjusted the formulation in an attempt to make the product more compatible with changing consumer interest in nutrition. The stated changes reduced fat, saturated fat and salt content while preserving the product's role as a savoury snack. The defining stage of Peperami's brand development came through advertising. The Animal mascot was developed by Lowe and introduced in a 1993 television commercial. Designed as an anthropomorphic sausage, Animal embodied the brand's deliberately unruly and humorous personality. Early advertising used stop-motion animation by Loose Moose Productions, and comedian Adrian Edmondson supplied the character's voice. The campaign used the memorable proposition that Peperami was “a bit of an animal,” establishing a creative platform that remained associated with the brand for decades. A point-and-click PC game called Animal followed in 1996, demonstrating the extent to which the mascot had become a standalone brand asset. Animal remained present in advertising from the early 1990s through 2014, then returned in computer-generated form in 2015. The character system was subsequently adapted to support new products. Beef Animal was created for the beef variant introduced in 2017, while Chicken Animal accompanied the launch of Pep'd Up Chicken Bites in 2019. Peperami also used entertainment and leisure partnerships to maintain consumer attention. A 2016 collaboration connected the brand with the Angry Birds film. In 2018, promotional activity with Merlin Entertainment involved Thorpe Park and Alton Towers. That year also saw the “Brothers From Another Mother” campaign, which brought the original Pork Animal and Beef Animal together in television and outdoor media. These initiatives extended the brand beyond product packaging and reinforced its character-led positioning. Ownership changed in 2014. On 21 February, Unilever announced that it had signed a definitive agreement to sell its meat-snacks business to Jack Link's. The consideration was not disclosed. The transaction included Peperami and BiFi, a related meat-snack brand sold in Germany. Following the deal, Peperami became part of Jack Link's portfolio. Production is identified with Ansbach, Germany, while the brand continues to be marketed across the United Kingdom, Ireland and Mexico. Product development continued with a beef range, a Peperami and Cheese Snack Box added in November 2018, and Pep'd Up Chicken Bites introduced in April 2019. The brand's historical continuity rests on the combination of a portable meat-snack format and a distinctive comic advertising property rather than on a single product variant.

• 2019

  Pep'd Up Chicken Bites launch

  [1]Peperamien.wikipedia.org

  Peperami expands into chicken snacks with Pep'd Up Chicken Bites and a Chicken Animal character.

• 2018

  Cheese snack box and dual-Animal campaign

  [1]Peperamien.wikipedia.org

  The range adds a Peperami and Cheese Snack Box, while the Brothers From Another Mother campaign presents the Pork and Beef Animals together.

• 2017

  Beef variant launches

  [1]Peperamien.wikipedia.org

  Peperami adds a beef variant and introduces the Beef Animal character.

• 2015

  Animal returns in CGI

  [1]Peperamien.wikipedia.org

  The mascot returns to television advertising in a computer-generated format.

• 2014

  Jack Link's acquires the meat-snacks business

  [1]Peperamien.wikipedia.org

  Unilever agrees to sell its meat-snacks business, including Peperami, to Jack Link's for an undisclosed amount.

• 2003

  Formula revised

  [1]Peperamien.wikipedia.org

  Unilever revises the formula with reductions in fat, saturated fat and salt intended to address health-conscious consumers.

• 1996

  Animal PC game released

  [1]Peperamien.wikipedia.org

  A point-and-click computer game based on the Animal mascot extends the brand into interactive entertainment.

• 1993

  Animal mascot debuts

  [1]Peperamien.wikipedia.org

  The anthropomorphic Animal character appears in television advertising and becomes the central expression of the brand's irreverent personality.

• 1979

  Peperami is introduced

  [1]Peperamien.wikipedia.org

  Peperami enters the market as a branded pork-based meat snack.

An irreverent, highly recognisable meat-snacking brand built around portable salami-style products, bold flavour and the comic Animal mascot.

• Pork meat snack · 1979

  Peperami Original

  The original Peperami format is a compact pork-based salami snack sold as an individually packaged stick. It is the product most closely associated with the brand and with the original Animal advertising character. The format is designed for portability and immediate consumption, making it suitable for convenience retail and lunchbox or on-the-go occasions.

• Beef meat snack · 2017

  Peperami Beef

  The beef variant broadened Peperami's meat-snack offer beyond its established pork base. It was introduced in 2017 and supported by Beef Animal, a product-specific adaptation of the brand mascot. The launch allowed Peperami to retain its established visual identity while offering consumers an alternative meat profile.

• Meat and cheese snack box · 2018

  Peperami and Cheese Snack Box

  Added to the range in November 2018, the Peperami and Cheese Snack Box combines the brand's meat-snack proposition with cheese in a bundled, ready-to-eat format. The product extends Peperami from the single-stick occasion into a more varied snack-box format.

• Chicken snack bites · 2019

  Pep'd Up Chicken Bites

  Pep'd Up Chicken Bites marked Peperami's expansion into a chicken-based format. Introduced in April 2019, the line was accompanied by a Chicken Animal character, applying the brand's mascot-led communication system to a new product type.

• 2018Brothers From Another Mother

  United Kingdom

  This campaign promoted the original Pork Animal and the newer Beef Animal together in television and environmental media.

  Outcome. It was the first reported Peperami campaign to place the two character variants together across these media.

  Source
• 2018Merlin Entertainment partnership

  United Kingdom

  Peperami ran promotional activity with Merlin Entertainment, specifically involving Thorpe Park and Alton Towers.

  Outcome. The partnership connected the brand with major UK theme-park destinations and supported the wider Animal relaunch activity.

  Source
• 2016Angry Birds film partnership

  United Kingdom

  Peperami partnered with the Angry Birds film as part of its effort to refresh and relaunch the Animal property through entertainment-related promotion.

  Outcome. The partnership expanded the mascot's promotional context beyond standard product advertising.

  Source
• 2015Animal CGI return

  United Kingdom

  Peperami brought Animal back to television advertising in computer-generated form after the character's earlier long-running advertising period.

  Outcome. The return re-established the mascot as the brand's main communications platform.

  Source
• 1993It's a bit of an animal

  United Kingdom

  Lowe introduced the anthropomorphic Animal sausage in a television campaign built around the idea that Peperami was “a bit of an animal.” The early execution used stop-motion animation and Adrian Edmondson as the character's voice.

  Outcome. Animal became the long-running signature of Peperami's advertising and packaging.

  Source

• 2019

  Enter chicken snackingProduct launch

  Background

  The brand continued to broaden its range through new meat formats.

  Action taken

  Peperami launched Pep'd Up Chicken Bites and introduced a Chicken Animal character.

  Aftermath

  The launch extended the brand's character system into chicken-based bites.

  Source

• 2017

  Expand into beefProduct launch

  Background

  Peperami sought to extend its established snack proposition beyond pork.

  Action taken

  The brand launched a beef variant and developed Beef Animal as its associated character.

  Aftermath

  The Animal platform was adapted to support a second major meat variant.

  Source

• 2014

  Sell the meat-snacks business to Jack Link'sM&A

  Background

  Unilever stated that meat snacking was difficult to fit within its global portfolio.

  Action taken

  On 21 February 2014, Unilever announced a definitive agreement to sell its meat-snacks business, including Peperami, to Jack Link's.

  Aftermath

  Peperami moved into Jack Link's brand portfolio. The transaction value was undisclosed.

  Source

• 2003

  Reformulate the product for health-conscious consumersStrategy

  Background

  Unilever sought to keep the meat snack relevant to consumers paying greater attention to nutrition.

  Action taken

  The Peperami formula was revised to reduce fat, saturated fat and salt content.

  Aftermath

  The reformulation preserved the product's place in the meat-snacking portfolio while addressing changing nutritional expectations.

  Source

• 2019

  Peperami launches Pep'd Up Chicken Bites[1]Peperamien.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The brand expanded into chicken with Pep'd Up Chicken Bites, supported by the introduction of a Chicken Animal character.

• 2018

  Peperami launches a cheese snack box[1]Peperamien.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  A Peperami and Cheese Snack Box was added to the brand's product range in November.

• 2017

  Peperami introduces a beef variant[1]Peperamien.wikipedia.org

  Product launch · Product generation

  The brand expanded beyond its established pork range with the introduction of a beef Peperami product and a corresponding Beef Animal character.

• 2014

  Unilever agrees to sell meat-snacks business to Jack Link's[1]Peperamien.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Unilever announced an agreement to sell its meat-snacks business to Jack Link's. The transaction included Peperami and BiFi, with the sale price not disclosed.

1. 1Peperamien.wikipedia.org