Doncaster handcrafted pies to hit The Co-operative shelves

The Co-operative has chosen a Doncaster-based bakery to supply handcrafted pies as part of the food retailer’s Yorkshire range of specially selected products from across the County.

The Topping Pie Company produces a range of speciality pies and quiche and The Co-operative will now list selected boxed products, including 190g Traditional Pork Pie; 450g Yorkshire Farmers pork pie and premium Steak Pie.

Topping Pies, which will be launched in more than 25 regional Co-operative stores this month, are made with British Red Tractor pork meat and locally sourced ingredients and were handpicked for their quality, taste and provenance.

Matthew Topping, sales director, Toppings Pies, said: “We are excited about working with the convenience and supermarket retailer to bring our products to the Co-operative customer base. More and more shoppers are supporting local producers like us and choosing products with real Yorkshire origin.”

Kate Jones, head of local sourcing at the Co-operative Food, added: “Our customers have told us they want to buy local products at their Co-op store and so we have responded by teaming up with more than 50 new Yorkshire suppliers, including the Topping Pie Company. Products made in the vicinity of our stores are prized by customers who want to support locally produced regional food which often helps to define a specific area such as Yorkshire.

“Our unique local sourcing initiative has been designed to break down the barriers which have previously made it difficult for smaller companies to supply large national organisations. Our vision is to champion a better way of doing business for you and your communities and what better way for us to this than to sell as many locally produced goods as possible.”

Since 1991, Maggie Topping has been baking her homemade pies to her own family recipes. Her pies flew off the shelves at the Doncaster market family butchers shop and her reputation quickly spread and led the company to establish a separate bakery division to meet customer demand.