Pan Yan Pickle

[icynorth]

Hi, I'm researching an article I'm writing on Pan Yan Pickle, and I'd appreciate any memories you have of the brand - especially the taste, and what you ate it with.

A brief history:

* * *

It was invented in the early 1900s by Maconachie, famous for providing wartime ration packs for soldiers.

It was manufactured in its heyday in a factory on the Isle of Dogs, London.

It became part of the Rowntree Macintosh portfolio in the 1960s after the previous parent company (Whiteside) went bust.

It was no longer manufactured after 1992 - a large fire destroyed the factory in Bury St Edmunds which produced both Branston and Pan Yan Pickle, and destroyed the secret formula, kept in a paper file.

Radio 1 DJ Chris Evans started a campaign in 2008 to get the company to relaunch it, but I don't think this got anywhere.

* * *

Any memories gratefully received!

[stuckinthe80's]

Re: Pan Yan Pickle

I remember Pan Yan. I'm sure they also made an Apple Sauce. My Gran used to buy it. It had a tarter taste compared to other Apple Sauces. I also remember the pickle. My Dad preferred it to Branston and had it mainly in toasted cheese sandwiches. Don't like pickle so can't give an accurate description of it but I love the apple sauce. Always wondered what happened to the brand.

[stuckinthe80's]

Re: Pan Yan Pickle

[battyrat]

Re: Pan Yan Pickle

It seems to be one of those things that has slipped away without me even realise it's passing.It's an age thing.One day its there then the next it's not.
The only times we had pickle in the house was around christmas or in the summer with a salad.My favourite was and still is with a nice big Ploughman's lunch.The thing is we have had so many brands of pickle over the years I cannot help you much.

Pan yan pickle jars were a common find on one of the pre 1st war tips we dug.Tall sided square things with round lips with Pan Yan embossed around the shoulders on all four sides.I was still at school when I first dug one of these jars.

[Chris68]

Re: Pan Yan Pickle

According to this article http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...mes-light.html the recipe was found a few years ago.

[icynorth]

Re: Pan Yan Pickle

According to this article http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...mes-light.html the recipe was found a few years ago.

Hi Chris. Thanks for that - I did turn that one up in my research. They hadn't found a recipe, of course, they'd just found a Pan Yan jar with the printed list of ingredients on it. Premier Foods didn't recreate the pickle when they received this and other samples from the public, but I guess we couldn't have expected them to when they were manufacturing the #1 brand - why compete against yourself? They let it drop, and indeed they sold off Branston itself last year. I'll post back here when my article's published - it's being sub-edited right now.

[Johnsoap]

Re: Pan Yan Pickle

Hi Chris. Thanks for that - I did turn that one up in my research. They hadn't found a recipe, of course, they'd just found a Pan Yan jar with the printed list of ingredients on it. Premier Foods didn't recreate the pickle when they received this and other samples from the public, but I guess we couldn't have expected them to when they were manufacturing the #1 brand - why compete against yourself? They let it drop, and indeed they sold off Branston itself last year. I'll post back here when my article's published - it's being sub-edited right now.

Cranfields a small business in Devon are attempting to replicate Pan Yan Pickle with some success so far.
Anyone interested in sampling it should take a look here - http://cranfieldsfoods.wordpress.com/tag/panyan/

[icynorth]

Re: Pan Yan Pickle

Thanks John, I mentioned the new product in my article on Pan Yan Pickle, which was published on h2g2 today: http://h2g2.com/approved_entry/A87796453

[Kiha 120]

Re: Pan Yan Pickle

Yes, I remember Pan Yan pickle very well, but to describe a taste ? Well it was a distinctive flavour being somewhat acidic is the only way I can describe it, but I can tell you it was packaged in largish straight sided clear glass jars and had a green bakelite screw on lid with a raised diamond shaped embossing on same lid.
I'm afraid I don't remember the label design but I 'm sure this was a diamond shape too.

I am amazed anyone remembers this product at all - I thought it was just me that retained all this useless, long past memories !!

[Stuart Roberts]

Re: Pan Yan Pickle

Hi, I'm researching an article I'm writing on Pan Yan Pickle, and I'd appreciate any memories you have of the brand - especially the taste, and what you ate it with.

A brief history:

* * *

It was invented in the early 1900s by Maconachie, famous for providing wartime ration packs for soldiers.

It was manufactured in its heyday in a factory on the Isle of Dogs, London.

It became part of the Rowntree Macintosh portfolio in the 1960s after the previous parent company (Whiteside) went bust.

It was no longer manufactured after 1992 - a large fire destroyed the factory in Bury St Edmunds which produced both Branston and Pan Yan Pickle, and destroyed the secret formula, kept in a paper file.

Radio 1 DJ Chris Evans started a campaign in 2008 to get the company to relaunch it, but I don't think this got anywhere.

* * *

Any memories gratefully received!

.It was made by `Epicure` on the Barking by pass A13. . I lived just across the road. My mums friend worked there and was involved production. She gave the ingredients to my mum for Pan Yan and Picalili. Mum made great pickles but as she had only the ingredients and not the ratios it took her a few hits to get it spot on, but she did and no one could taste the difference.I still have the recipe for that and other Epicure products.
Branston came along and the two were current until one swallowed the other when "Bring out the Branston" publicity gave it the weight to tip the sales balance and the only difference was Pan Yan was tad more piquant. I think it was based on a Chinese sweet and sour pickle ,( as was Picalilli was Indian) and I was told by my mums friend that the name meant something in Chinese ,maybe sweet and sour in some dialect or `yum yum` in Chinese. I loved it and Branston is just as good.
I think I`ll have a go at the old recipe as we got one Bramley from our new tree and have just returned to France with a bag load of spices from our UK visit. I`ll let you know if I get into a bit of a pickle.
Stu, Sept 2015 .
Does anyone know where I can get Hammonds Chop Sauce? Much better than HP or Daddies

[icynorth]

Re: Pan Yan Pickle

Fascinating stuff - thanks Stuart!