The Real Pie Company, based in Crawley, West Sussex has been making hand-crafted real pies crammed to the crust for 20 years. At this years British Pie Awards, held annually in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire (home of the original pork pie), The Real Pie Company took gold for their steak, mushroom and stilton pie – a modern classic. Their steak and mature cheddar pie took a very worthy silver as did both their steak and stout pie, and their strawberry and prosecco crumble. Eight more of their pies and pasties were awarded bronze including their banoffee apple crumble.
The Real Pie Company is a family-owned and run company which started life in a high- street butchers in West Sussex in 1999. Their company philosophy is based around the simple premise of good quality ingredients coupled with ensuring their pies are full to the brim. Real pies for real pie lovers. They’ve been entering the British Pie Awards since its inception in 2009 and were delighted with their haul of 14 at the 2020 celebrations.
Brett Hornby (son in law of the founder of Real Pie) said: “Pies are a British staple and we love these awards for celebrating that heritage and recognising the craft of bakers, as well as championing British produce. People are willing to pay for quality pies, we know that because from a small start in a high street (with queues down the street) we’ve grown into a business serving pies to London and across the South. We have loyal customers and we know they love our pies but it’s great to get validated by the Oscars of the pie world. Fourteen wins is a record for us so we’re over the moon.”
The Real Pie Company currently employs 12 people and is still a family owned and run business. Although their pies are very traditional, made to their own recipes, using all British ingredients, and still all handmade, they have adapted their business over the years. They now offer online sales with delivery across the UK and they are currently working on a vegan range.
Brett added: “We’re small enough to spend time really talking to and listening to our customers. Our prosecco and strawberry crumble came from those conversations. We’re always open to new ideas and building on our product range. Our vegetarian pies do sell well and now we’re working on a vegan range too to meet demand for a variety of tastes and lifestyles. Watch this space for our vegan entry to the 2021 pie awards!”
Kenneth mc iver
I have been a regular customer for a few years now but my last order was very disappointing due to the amount of fat and gristle found in the steak pies and also the pies were very pale and under cooked it looks as though the standards have dropped from the usual standards expected this will affect my future orders,hope to hear from you in the near future.concerning this complaint
Kenneth mc iver