The brainchild of Simpsons fanatic Huw Longman, Notts-based vegan meat specialists No Homers combine his love of all things Springfield with his knowledge of food - specifically Irish deli meat. Self-described ‘seitanists’ (referencing the wheat gluten, seitan, which forms the basis of faux meat), No Homers supply the likes of Prickly Pear, Deli Llama and plenty of other local eateries, firmly establishing themselves as an essential cog in the machine of the Notts vegan community. We caught up with Huw to find out more...
Why The Simpsons? When did that obsession start?
It’s just been an obsession since I was a kid, really. It’s been there since I was very, very young. It’s been going for over thirty years. My wife always says that it raised her.
You launched in 2019. Has it been a steep learning curve since then?
Certain aspects, definitely. When you run a business by yourself you are everything from the accountant to your own HR to marketing to sales, as well as actually being the cook. I don’t come from a food background, so it was a steep learning curve in terms of the ins and outs of the bureaucracy of food hygiene. That was probably the steepest curve, not being trained as a chef or anything like that, understanding the fundamentals of food hygiene and safety. It’s all the paperwork!
What were you doing before you launched No Homers?
What I’m still doing now. I still have a full-time job that I work Monday to Thursday doing full-time hours, then Friday is my cook day. Saturdays will be sales and local events. I work in IT, I’m a team manager at the moment. I got into No Homers because of a serious passion for food. Growing up, my mum taught me to cook; I’m not Italian but it was almost like an Italian family the way I was taught to cook the basics and get a real passion for it. I’ve always enjoyed cooking since I was a child. Getting into food was a passion rather than a job.
What’s been the high point so far?
Launching it and getting it out to the public. The feedback we’re getting is fantastic. The satisfaction I get from doing No Homers is seeing people enjoy it and feeding back. I’m not here for accolades and awards or anything else. My core thing is when people enjoy my food. That’s the thing that gives me the high and the satisfaction and pleasure.
I’m not here for accolades and awards or anything else. My core thing is when people enjoy my food
What makes No Homers unique? How would you describe it?
Plant-based Irish deli. That’s our key thing: we’re an Irish deli, not a normal deli. There is a fundamental difference between them. It’s a cultural thing in Ireland. Delis exist everywhere: petrol stations, high streets, supermarkets. You can get your slices and stuff anywhere, but they also do hot and cold food. Things specific to Irish delis are hot chicken rolls, breakfast rolls, jambons and hotdog latices (that we also do). There’s a difference between a fancy deli like Delilah’s that you might see in Nottingham to what we do. In three words, I’d describe No Homers as ‘plant based fun’.
You spent eight months experimenting before officially launching. What was that time like?
Hit and miss is probably the best way to describe it. The ham, for example (the Wiggum), took six different versions to get it close to where it is now. It’s still constantly changing. With seiten, it all depends on the ingredients you’re using. One batch of gluten flour may be different to another batch, so you have to adjust your recipe to different versions if different manufacturers are making them. It took those eight months of trials and experimenting for us to be happy enough to launch.
Out of all the products you make, what’s your personal favourite?
The Fat Tony, the pastrami. Followed by the Smoked Chief, which is our smoked bacon.
What would you say to people who are sceptical about vegan meat?
We actually class ourselves as a plant-based business, partly for that reason. I’m from an animal rights background, and spent a good three or four years doing that. So, we have an understanding of how the general public who aren’t vegan react to fake meat or meat alternatives. We label ourselves as plant based because ‘vegan’ means more than just food - there are more ethics behind it. At the end of the day, this is just food. There isn’t anything else behind it. It’s just food and anyone can enjoy it. That’s the key bit - we want anyone to be able to try it.
Veganism isn’t just about food. It’s the understanding that the ethical aspects of life are not just what’s on your plate
What’s your favourite thing about Nottingham?
I’m originally from Newmarket and lived in Ireland for four years – my wife is Irish, she’s from Cork. We’ve been in Nottingham for eight years. It is utterly different to many other cities I’ve lived in during my life. It’s incredibly vibrant and diverse, there’s a lot going on. Especially within the vegan community, there’s a fantastic network of traders and companies and local businesses that band together, even though technically they’re competing with each other.
You’re not afraid to mix business and activism, and have just spent Pride Month helping to raise money for Notts LGBT+ Network on your stall. Why do you think it’s important that you do things like that?
We’re not here to push agendas, but equally when there are issues and causes that do need to be shouted about, I have no qualms about using any kind of platform that I have to be a voice. I’m a proud ally to the LGBTQ+ community, but it doesn’t stop there. It doesn’t stop with animal rights. It’s about human rights and it’s the entire world that needs changing. We need to acknowledge the issues that we have where we are and work as a society to change them.
What are your plans for the future of No Homers?
I can’t divulge too many details, but in the next few months we’ve got massive plans for No Homers - we’re going to be taking it to the next step. I can hint that there are big changes coming and you will be able to get No Homers on a much more regular basis.
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