Hull food firm ONG hopes its new slush drink could follow in the footsteps of famous city products like chip space, the pattie and Yorkshire puddings.
ONG Food, based in The Deep Business Centre, has unveiled Meow Slush after the company ended its relationship with well-known brand Slush Puppie.
Business director Nad Gilani said he hoped Meow Slush could be the city’s new big name in food.
He said: “We’re already selling Meow Slush at locations in Hull and much further afield, partnering with leisure and tourism businesses and talking to major wholesalers.
“We hope Meow Slush can become the next big food brand from Hull.”
ONG was a re-seller for Slush Puppie for eight years until the deal ended in 2017.
The Hull business also supplies other products, including Rollover hot dogs, Pizza Cones, Eat Square pies and Magic Corn, as well as coffee machines from some of the top brands.
But with customers still eager to buy slush from ONG, it explored the option of making its own.
ONG researched ingredients, equipment and prices and worked towards a spring 2019 launch, with Nad’s six-year-old daughter Rose making the most important contribution.
Mr Gilani said: “I was dropping her off at school one morning and told her we needed a name for the new product.
“A ginger cat walked past and was meowing, so Rose meowed and said we should call it Meow Slush. You can’t ignore advice like that.”
The ginger cat has become the face of Meow Slush, which is now on sale at shops, fast food restaurants, leisure centres and other sites including Hornsea Freeport and The Deep tourist attraction.
Mr Gilani said: “We’ve covered a lot of indoor venues and with the school holidays here we’re hoping for a good summer.
“We supply all the Meow Slush and the serving and point-of-sale equipment and we provide training, but the most important thing is the product and all 10 flavours are proving very popular.”
ONG has sourced a manufacturer for its own premium machines, specially made with a freeze time of just 20-30 minutes and fully branded with Meow’s distinctive artwork.
The business has concentrated on ensuring it can deliver a quality product without charging a premium price.
ONG’s commitment to low sugar and no sugar Meow Slush, as well as to eco-friendly packaging, helped the company secure the deal at The Deep.
Freya Cross, head of business and corporate at The Deep, said: “It’s great that ONG, as one of our Business Centre clients, is selling its products through The Deep because we are committed to working with sustainable suppliers and it is important for us to offer low and no sugar options.”
