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WINTER WARMERS FROM PAGE 35 gravy for the family on a cold winter’s night, consumers are looking for warm, comforting and hearty options in winter, and pies are exactly that,” he said. An interesting point of difference that the team at Mrs Mac’s has noted is that “Australia’s love affair for the humble meat pie stretches into other food occasions, such as breakfast and snacking”, with pies no longer being strictly lunch or dinner options, it would seem. “As a business, we’re working closely with retail partners to launch NPDs that are aligned with targeting these occasions,” Mr Tomeo said. Another recent trend, he says, is the increasing tendency for consumers to “conduct faster and smaller shopping trips”, thanks largely to the disruption caused by COVID-19. “This is driving demand for convenience within the category and is reflected in double-digit growth in our microwave range of pies, rolls and pasties,” Mr Tomeo said. While the impacts of the summer bushfires slowed growth in the convenience channel, he says the coronavirus crisis has also “certainly impacted the category”. “One of the key challenges has been the spike in demand for frozen products ... and as a business we’ve moved quickly from a supply chain, to adapt to the changing customer and consumer needs,” he said. In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Mrs Mac’s has not only sought to meet the spiking demand for frozen products, but also ensured support for “Australian jobs and communities”, he adds. “Mrs Mac’s is an Australian-owned company that has supported local communities for more than 60 years,” Mr Tomeo said. “All our beef is 100 per cent Australian and we use fresh vegetables from local producers wherever possible. Because of our commitment to source ingredients locally, this gives retailers the opportunity to partner with Mrs Mac’s in supporting Australian jobs and communities impacted by COVID-19.” Meanwhile, Mr Tomeo says, the team at Mrs Mac’s is responding to the emerging plant-based trend through “NPD that’s aimed at exciting consumers demanding these types of products”. “We’re very sensitive to consumer trends that affect our category,” he said. “At a macro level, we’re seeing a segment of consumers demanding plant-based food, and we’re reflecting these trends into our NPD. While you may not automatically connect meat pies and sausage rolls with health, we expect this health trend to continue. It represents an opportunity to recruit new consumers into the category.” Carn the Pies! Garlo’s Pies started out as a small family business in 2001 – with a single pie shop in Maroubra, Sydney – and has since grown into a thriving business, opening another 13 stores, supplying to Coles in NSW and Queensland, and expanding into foodservice: pubs and clubs, cafes, sports grounds, convenience stores and convenience stations. With a clear a passion for pies, Garlo’s Pies Managing Directing Sean Garlick says they are the “old comfort food”, which makes them a perfect winter warmer. “I think we’ve all grown up on \\\\\\\[pies\\\\\\\],” he said. “They’re something we can rely on. We know what we’re going to get. “Over the past 20 years, the quality of pies has improved. Twenty years ago, it was quite a risky punt to know what you were going to get in your pie. Nowadays there are a lot of good pie options out there and I think everybody’s pretty comfortable in the quality.” While pies are a warming, hearty option during cold, dreary days, they’re also popular because they play on nostalgia, being associated with memories of weekend sport and football games with family or friends. “In NSW, as soon as that first hint of autumn comes upon us and the football season begins, there’s a coolness in the air and pies really spike in sales,” Mr Garlick said. “\\\\\\\[Sales are\\\\\\\] really related to the weather. We have a cool week or even a miserable week in terms of rain and wind, and people really seem to flock towards this type of food. “I think pies and football go hand in hand ... football people and pie people are the same people. They all seem to gravitate towards pies. They’re used to having them at the game.” It’s clear that food items such as pies are seasonal, but weather isn’t the only factor influencing sales and NPD. Mr Garlick agrees that the rise of plant- based trends is impacting the category. “I think because pies are so well known, it really is a challenge for all of us, pie makers, to come up with new and exciting ideas, flavours,” he said. “Undoubtedly the new trend at the moment is plant-based pies and sausage rolls. “\\\\\\\[We’ve recently\\\\\\\] launched ours \\\\\\\[a plant-based pie and sausage roll\\\\\\\] ... in the form of a limited edition. Generally, that would appeal to what you’d think is a small part of the community, but I think a lot of us these days are experimental in our approach to food, and there’s a general desire ... 36 CONVENIENCE WORLD MAY/JUN, 2020