Jambon

Lore & Background

The product emerged during the 1990s as part of a broader movement towards 'food to go'. The multinational bakery company Délifrance says that it adapted and launched the jambon as a new product in the Irish market in 1997. Twenty million jambons were purchased by Irish consumers in 2020. Following the trend of meat-free sausage rolls, vegan jambons have also been available since 2020, produced using meat substitutes and cheese analogues.

Reader's Guide

Jambons have become a notable part of Irish convenience food culture, with twenty million purchased in 2020 alone. Their significance lies in their adaptation from a French pastry concept (paniers feuilletés au jambon et au fromage) to a specifically Irish deli staple, driven by the multinational bakery Délifrance in 1997. The product's popularity has led to trademark registrations by Jambons Limited in both Ireland and the United Kingdom, and the emergence of variants such as Mini Jambons and Mini Pepperoni Jambons. The brand Golden Bake, part of the same group, has hosted events like the annual National Jambons Day and a campaign to hire a 'Head Jambons Taster'. The jambon also entered popular culture through the RTÉ comedy series Hardy Bucks, where a character has an obsession with them. The introduction of vegan jambons in 2020 reflects broader dietary trends.

Did You Know?

• Jambons are known in France as paniers feuilletés au jambon et au fromage.
• Vegan jambons have been available since 2020.
• A character in the RTÉ comedy series Hardy Bucks has an obsession with jambons.