Pies, power food of the gas station?

**shafty** · 11th July 2009, 12:38

Pie sandwich, ie meat pie and sauce between 2 slices of white margerine-d bread

**jrandom** · 11th July 2009, 12:43

I have recently made friends with the Auckland sales rep for Mrs Mac's.

It is a friendship I intend on cherishing.

**Forest** · 11th July 2009, 19:15

Originally Posted by shafty

Pie sandwich, ie meat pie and sauce between 2 slices of white margerine-d bread

In Scotland, you can buy a pie-roll from most takeaways.

It is a deep-fried pork pie served between two burger-buns.

**AD345** · 11th July 2009, 19:33

Ah the sad state of the NZ pie industry.

Now that I am no longer constrained by my former employers I can wax on a little with the knowledge gained from my 23 years in the NZ baking industry..

The mass pie market has been completely devalued by the 2 big players, Goodmanfielder (Irvines) and George Weston Foods (Big Ben) fighting themselves viciously down to the bottom of the market in both price and quality. The price of pies is now so ridiculously low that the barrier to entry remains out of reach for any NZ manufacturer to offer a national range.

This leaves us with our current state where the 2 big boys control 50 - 60 % of the market and lose money hand over fist every day. The remaining NZ manufacturers are constrained to their own little geographical areas to eke out what business they can thus leaving the door open to the thieving bloody aussies. The likes of Mrs Macs can come in here and swoop on the extremely lucrative "gourmet" pie market by dint of 2 factors:

1. Their local operations are big enough that they have covered all of their overheads before entering the market - thus allowing them to offer a national range at little more than the cost of distribution.

2. The 2 local big boys are going to need years to re-educate the NZ consumer about the cost of a pie (who would pay $4 for an Irvines pie right?) and therefore have to source the lowest possible ingredients they can to try to trim their overhead. Thus they cannot compete on either quality or price.

Smaller local operations can't afford the cost of upscaling themselves due to the aforesaid low selling point and the overhead they would have to recover to offer a national good quality pie

So there is this nice big juicy hole in the market for a good quality reasonably priced pie thats available nationally..........enter the Mrs.

I'll stop here cos I'll just start foaming at the mouth but shes a sad tale boys and girls - a sad tale indeed

**MaxB** · 11th July 2009, 19:44

I didn't reckon Australian pies were up to much during my time over there, even in Victoria. IMO they did not live up to the hype.

AD do not fret, there are heaps of local pie makers still fighting the fight. In South Auckland I can get excellent freshly made local pies with real cow pieces for $2.00-3.50. Bakeries are the way to go. Yum.

**AD345** · 11th July 2009, 19:48

Originally Posted by MaxB

I didn't reckon Australian pies were up to much during my time over there, even in Victoria. IMO they did not live up to the hype.

AD do not fret, there are heaps of local pie makers still fighting the fight. In South Auckland I can get excellent freshly made local pies with real cow pieces for $2.00-3.50. Bakeries are the way to go. Yum.

Yep you can. There are a lot of good little operations all up and down the country.

They are vulnerable though - extremely so.

Support your local pie maker - seriously!

**Ocean1** · 11th July 2009, 19:53

Originally Posted by MaxB

excellent freshly made local pies with real cow

What we needs is a list of the World's Best Local Pie Constructers.

1) Dorothy’s Bakery, Moera, Wellington.

Actually, a new thread might be in order, to facilitate future emergency gourmet missions.

**jono035** · 11th July 2009, 19:54

Originally Posted by Disco Dan

Best food to keep you going - oats. Make a good bowl of porridge, you can even get it in little sachets so you wont spill it everywhere. When you get to a servo, simply add milk and perhaps a banana and your good to go for the day.

Pies just make you fat.

Well beyond a granola bar and salad or something, I think you've got the opposite end of the service station food spectrum covered quite well...

**jono035** · 11th July 2009, 19:56

Originally Posted by Ocean1

What we needs is a list of the World's Best Local Pie Constructers.

1) Dorothy’s Bakery, Moera, Wellington.

There was a little bakery down one of the side roads in KeriKeri that I used to go to all the time. Best thing there was a Beef Curry pie, that and an L&P and you've got a pretty awesome lunch right there.

Scary about Brazil having no fish and chip shops, glad he has decided to shine the light of civilisation down on the heathens, though!

**jono035** · 11th July 2009, 19:59

Originally Posted by AD345

Ah the sad state of the NZ pie industry....

So let them keep the bottom of the barrel and just start making gourmet pies. I know a lot of people who would buy whatever is cheapest, wolf it down and be completely happy. There are an equal number of people out there who are willing to pay a hefty amount more for a pie that is fresh, made with good ingredients and a damn sight tastier too.

Jesters pies is a good example (and probably the only pie I've eaten in the past couple of years)...

**BMWST?** · 11th July 2009, 20:01

Trishas Pies,variuos locations in Welly,the main shop is in Island Bay

**Pussy** · 11th July 2009, 20:05

Originally Posted by Ocean1

What we needs is a list of the World's Best Local Pie Constructers.

1) Dorothy’s Bakery, Moera, Wellington.

Actually, a new thread might be in order, to facilitate future emergency gourmet missions.

Right with you on that, Ocean1
This is an important matter.
We need a pie/location thread

**ynot slow** · 12th July 2009, 10:16

The thing about Irvines/BigBen is they are cheap and will suffice at a servo late night or if hungry,if these things aren't an issue I go to local shop and pay $1.00 more max probably,and a larger pie as well(BB/Irvines 180gms or so weight)others at least 250gms.