Jon Simon and Tristan Hogg unveil their exciting new range of pies; four completely new pie flavours join updated and improved versions of their award winning favourites. And Pieminister can confirm that pie production will remain in the company’s existing pie kitchens in Westbury on Trym, meaning that the local, award winning pie company can extend its premises and expand production.
The acquisition safeguards over 70 jobs in Bristol and creates future employment opportunities for the region. Pieminister produces over 3 million pies a year at the 18,000 sq ft kitchen facilities and plans to double production over the next three years.
Pieminister’s co-founder and Managing Director Jon Simon says, “We’re delighted to be able to stay in Bristol. Setting up Pieminister here back in 2003 was not an accident; we knew that the people of Bristol are fiercely loyal to local businesses and that if we got their backing, it would really help drive our business. Luckily for us, our pies were well-received! We always wanted Pieminister HQ to stay here but it’s been a long and complex process to reach this outcome. Now that we own the premises we can continue to grow, support and invest in the local economy and do what we do best – make good pies.”
Brand new pies, available now!
- the free ranger pie: free range British chicken and outdoor reared ham hock with leek and west country cheddar
- the deerstalker pie: British venison and outdoor reared dry cured bacon with red wine and lentils
- peahock pie: British outdoor reared ham hock with garden peas and mustard
- fungi chicken pie: free range British chicken, chestnut and field mushrooms cooked in a creamy white sauce
The existing range; refreshed, upgraded:
Pieminister has examined every element of its existing range and finely-tuned recipes to make their much-loved, award winning pies even better. Most importantly, fillings have increased and the pastry is rolled more thinly to ensure perfect buttery crispness with every bite. Pieminister continues to use its two signature pastries; a suet recipe for the lid, and shortcrust for the base.
Pieminister aficionados will notice improvements to some of the old favourites and the pm pie (voted Best Steak & Kidney pie in this year’s British Pie Awards) will now be known as the kate & sidney pie, (cockney rhyming slang for steak and kidney!)
New packaging and an App to reflect changes to the range:
New eye-catching packaging will inform and entertain from the moment you grab a pie in-store. Collect on-box pie tokens to exchange for pieminister mugs, T-shirts, oven gloves and aprons (dedicated pie fans can even collect enough for a pieminister surfboard or deckchair). And download pieminister’s FREE App at App Store and Google Play to access incredible Augmented pastry Reality which will bring your pie box to life. Watch the Ministry of Other Vegetables’ public information films for serving suggestions, laugh at pie-related jokes and sing along to the pieminster song (and don’t forget to keep an eye out for regular updates to enjoy).
Officially recognised by the British Farming Industry for its support through responsible ingredient sourcing, pieminister only uses meat and poultry that comes with the very highest welfare standards; all the fish is MSC certified, the meat and dairy is farm-assured and pieminister continues to be the only leading pie brand in the UK to only use free range British chicken.
Jon Simon continues: “We’ve always been proud of our pies, but it’s important to stay ahead of the game and ask ourselves from time to time if we can make our pies even better. From adjusting the thickness of the pastry, to adding extra herbs or sourcing a more superior cut of British meat, we believe we’ve created the most perfect pie range ever. And with so many local products from Bristol Beer Factory, Capricorn Goats’ Cheese and Abergavenny Fine Foods on our ingredients lists, we can continue to support fellow producers and give our customers the best the West has to offer, all wrapped up in a pie.’
Pieminister’s range is available now in pieminister Stokes Croft, St Nicks and outlets nationwide as well as Amsterdam (pieminister’s first shop to open overseas). Call 0117 950 4563 for your nearest stockist or buy your pies online at www.pieminister.co.uk. And for the latest pie news, amazing offers and competitions why not become a V.I.Pie?