The Hot Pies Opportunity - Pukka, as seen on TV

The Hot Pies Opportunity

The Great British chippy is part of the fabric of the partners to inspire pie purchases and demonstrate tangible nation, with half of all people in the UK enjoying pie added value to both them and their customers. That’s why we and chips from their local fish and chip shop at least offer plenty of options in our range of point of sale materials once a year. Of those who do, the average number on our website, including outdoor and indoor signage, of times they buy pie and chips is 14 per year - compared with 16 times for fish and chips - demonstrating that the ongoing

love for pies in the fish and chip shop sector is strong .

Pukka remains the runaway number one pie brand across the foodservice and retail sectors with 56% of people recognising Pukka without being prompted and 30% preferring a Pukka from the chippy to any other pie brand . -With a vision to put more pies on more plates more often, there’s a Pukka for everyone – making it a must-stock brand for fish and chip shops looking to capitalise on this demand.

Pukka’s General Manager, Isaac Fisher, explains: “It is more important now than ever that chip shops are tapping into the sales opportunity that the category presents, particularly as these last few months have been challenging. But demand for this Great British mealtime favourite remains high, and with the nation starting to get back on its feet, chippy owners have an opportunity to drive sales by stocking the nation’s favourite.”

Consumer insights The pandemic has solidified demand for good, honest food, and pies offer a tasty option for consumers searching for a convenient meal – particularly during lunch time. In fact, between May and June 2020, sales in fish and chip shops increased by 12% in comparison to last year . In addition to this, independently commissioned research found that two out of three consumers are of the strong opinion that pies from the chippy taste better than shop-bought pies – with taste being one of the top reasons for this – demonstrating that an order from the chippy and a Pukka go hand-in-hand .

“To help chippy owners meet this demand, we have a wide range of pies available to make sure there’s a Pukka for everyone, from the traditionalist All Steak, to Chicken Balti for the curry lover. Our Steak & Kidney pie continues to be our bestselling recipe, followed by Chicken & Mushroom and Minced Beef & Onion - these are absolute must-stocks for chip shops,” Fisher explains.

“More recently, we introduced our award-winning Veggie Cheese, Leek & Potato pie to the foodservice sector after sales skyrocketed in retail. With one in three people now actively seeking vegetarian pies , we urge fish and chip shops – and indeed other foodservice outlets – to stock up to satisfy consumers’ ever-changing needs.

“We continue to work closely with our trusted foodservice personalised posters and pie heaters,” adds Fisher. Heavyweight support Pukka will invest heavily in marketing again this year, with a continuation of the brand’s fully integrated campaign, ‘The People’s Pie’. The advert, which will be broadcast across TV and VOD from October, is timed to coincide with the cooler months, when families are seeking filling and convenient meals.

“Last year’s award-winning campaign successfully kept pies front of consumers’ minds. A Pukka pie is synonymous with a visit to the chippy, so it was a natural decision to repeat the activity – which once again heroes the great British chippy,” explains Fisher

“In fact, this year we’re taking it one step further and shining a spotlight on new ways people are enjoying their pies from the chippy, especially as pies have grown their share of occasions in fish and chip shops verses last year. For example, to demonstrate the increase in visits to chip shops at lunch time during the pandemic which has continued post lockdown , we’re including somebody enjoying a wigan kebab* during the working day. We’re confident that this, along with the entire campaign, will help to further boost sales for the

fish and chip shop trade.” Cooking Advice for the Perfect Serve To serve the perfect pie, Pukka recommends that chip shop owners avoid using the microwave, as this can create an uneven heat distribution and affect the flaky puff pastry experience that consumers look for. Instead, it is best practice to initially heat a Pukka pie to a core temperature of 75°C, cooking a frozen pie in a fan oven at 190°C for 50 minutes*. Once heated, the temperature should be brought down whilst still maintaining the minimum core temperature of 65°C whilst waiting to be sold.

“In order to serve the perfect Pukka pie and deliver the best eating experience, it is crucial that they are oven baked the right way up in a single layer. Stacking them on top of one another could damage the 144 layers of carefully baked puff pastry, resulting in disappointment amongst loyal customers,” adds Fisher.

As Pukka’s frozen foodservice portfolio features a 12-month shelf life, this permits customers to store and heat the nation’s favourite pie brand when needed.