Brackley-based pie maker wins multiple awards at national competition

Butler's Pie Company, a family-owned and operated business in the town centre of Brackley, took home seven awards at the national pie making competition.

They won a 'highly commended' award and gold for their chicken balti pie at the awards ceremony held in Melton Mowbray.

The Butler's Pie Company won several other awards, which included three silver for their steak and ale pie, the steak and kidney pie and the steak and stilton pie. They also won bronze awards for their chicken, ham and leek pie and two vegetarian pies, which were the cheese and broccoli and butternut squash, leek and carrot pie.

Kathryn Butler, who owns the company with her husband, David, said: "It's almost like beyond of belief. It just seems so surreal because we're such a small business.

"We take a lot of pride in what we're making. Everything is homemade and we source as much as we can locally.

"We pride ourselves in the fact it's rammed full of meat, and we pride ourselves in quality as well as our customer service."

The awards wins also help the pie company celebrate and mark its one-year anniversary of opening the Brackley town centre shop. They operated purely as an online business for the previous two years.

David, who is the baker for the pie company, said: "It's nice to get the accolades for what you've done. We are please because we are only a small business. It's been a hard year, but a good one."

The pie shop offers a variety of options from individual and personalised pies to sausage rolls and pasties. They also offer vegan and gluten free options with prior advanced notice.

Butlers Pie Company has also expanded its delivery service amid the latest coronavirus outbreak. They have extended their delivery days to all weekdays, not just a Friday.

The Butler's pie company was also recently a finalist in the Northamptonshire Food and Drink Awards in November 2019.

Another business based in the Brackley area called the The Fry Family Food Co. also earned a bronze award from the national competition.

Nicola Yates, a marketing manager for The Fry Family Food Co., said: “At the Fry Family Food Co we’re dedicated to creating great tasting vegan options to fill supermarket shelves with plant based foods, and to support people on their journey to go meat-free.

"Customers frequently tell us how much they love our delicious vegan pastry, used on this and many other pies and pastries in our range. We’re proud of our mixed mushroom country-style pie, and are delighted to have been recognised by the British Pie Awards in the vegan category.”

Held at the Rural Capital of Food in Melton Mowbray, this year’s British Pie Awards saw 848 pies entered from 160 professional pie bakers, butchers and chefs from around the country.

After an extensive judging process on each pie’s appearance, taste and skills by 140 experts, the pies received their awards on Friday March 6. The judging and awards ceremony took place at St Mary’s Church in Melton Mowbray.

British Pie Awards organiser Dr Matthew O’Callaghan said: “For the past 12 years, we’ve judged well over 9,000 pies since the awards were first founded in 2009.

"During that time the quality and range of pies submitted have increased significantly; a tribute to the craft and skills of the British Pie Maker. The British eat over £1 billion worth of pies every year and this is a celebration of the skill and craft of the pie maker. Pies are Britain's unique contribution to world gastronomy.

“It goes without saying that the British Pie Awards would not be what they are today without our many judges, sponsors, volunteers and – of course – all the pie makers. Congratulations to all who took home awards and we look forward to seeing you next year.”