Revealed: Kiwis’ Favourite Pie Flavour Is…

The crust has been lifted on Kiwis’ favourite pie flavour! Canstar can today reveal New Zealanders’ favourite flavour is traditional mince and cheese, followed very closely by steak and cheese.

The survey of 1243 people revealed New Zealanders’ deep affection for the more common flavours. However, butter chicken was notably popular among younger pie-eaters and there was a keen appetite for vegetarian and vegan pies.

Mince and cheese was favoured by 22% of respondents, with steak and cheese close behind at 21%. Rounding out the top five flavours were steak and mushroom (9%), potato top (9%) and, finally, butter chicken (8%). Further, 18% of respondents wanted to see more vegetable and vegan pies on offer.

Taste, of course, was the main driver of satisfaction, at 46%, with texture at 24%. Over half of respondents, 52%, said they prefer to buy freshly baked pies.

It seems the humble pie is still regarded as Kiwi as gumboots, with 75% of respondents saying they consider the delicacy to be part of our culture. Nearly a third of respondents said they’d make a special journey just to buy their favourite pie, although a full third of respondents said they’d buy a healthier option if they could.

Even so, the average Kiwi eats 15 meat pies every year (three more per person than our cousins over the ditch), according to figures published by Food Standards Australia/NZ. Going on the latest population statistics, that’s just over 74 million pies as a nation annually.

The survey revealed Jimmy’s Pies as the winner of Canstar Blue’s Most Satisfied Customers Award, 2020. Survey respondents rated Jimmy’s 5 stars for taste, texture, packaging and overall satisfaction.

The pie-making business from Roxburgh, which makes a range of 20 different pies, has been going for over 50 years and works to an old family recipe.

Bruce Pitchers, Canstar NZ Content Manager, said: “Our research shows us that, without a doubt, Kiwis simply love pies. And while New Zealanders are generally an adventurous bunch, they stick to proven favourites when it comes to pie flavours.

“And it is certainly true, a good mince and cheese pie is an absolute culinary delight.”

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