Key takeaways:
- British Pie Week (2-8 March) and the US’ Pi Day (14 March) are putting pies firmly in the global spotlight this month.
- Consumer tastes are shifting, with chicken and mushroom overtaking steak as the UK’s favourite pie filling, particularly among younger consumers.
- Across bakery and foodservice, brands are using the moment to showcase everything from artisan savoury pies and globally inspired pastry to indulgent dessert creations.
March is shaping up to be a big moment for pastry lovers on both sides of the Atlantic. In the UK, British Pie Week runs from 2-8 March, giving bakers, manufacturers and foodservice operators a readymade moment to spotlight one of the country’s most enduring comfort foods.
Meanwhile, the US is preparing for Pi Day on 14 March, the annual mathematical-themed celebration of the number 3.14 that has increasingly become an excuse for bakeries and dessert brands to showcase creative pie-inspired treats.
Originally launched by the organisers of the British Pie Awards, the UK celebration has grown into a broader industry moment. For bakeries and brands, it’s a chance to highlight craft, heritage and flavour – whether that means a traditional pork pie, a deeply savoury steak bake or a globally inspired pastry.
Consumer tastes are evolving along the way. A survey of 2,000 UK adults commissioned by Fray Bentos suggests the nation’s favourite filling has shifted. Chicken and mushroom now leads at 17%, followed by chicken (14%), while steak favourites including steak and kidney, steak and gravy and steak and ale each attract 12%.
Generational differences are helping drive that change. 31% of Gen Z respondents said chicken or chicken and mushroom was their favourite filling, compared with 22% of Baby Boomers. Meanwhile almost half of Boomers favour steak, compared with just 27% of Gen Z.
“Younger consumers are increasingly switching away from heavier red meats, which mean chicken has pecked away at steak’s lead,” said Lisa Harris, food trends expert at Harris and Hayes.
“Chicken and mushroom is a powerful combination, delivering a rich, familiar flavour pairing that is both classic and comforting.”
The week also tends to shine a light on pies that have impressed judging panels across the industry. Several of the products featured here, for example, picked up three-star recognition in the recent Great Taste Awards, one of the UK’s long-running blind-tasting competitions.
Artisan pies show the craft behind the crust
The Organic Chicken, Leek & Tarragon Pie from Brassica Dorset caught judges’ attention for its balance and craftsmanship.
The panel described the pie as “a very attractive pie, with a stylishly homemade look.” Generous pieces of chicken sit in a well-seasoned sauce, while the pastry keeps its structure despite remaining soft and delicate.
Panellists also praised the texture of the filling, noting “the perfect amount of sauce with a lovely little crunch left in the leeks, a wonderful buttery flavour with just a hint of tarragon.”
Vegetarian pies are also gaining attention. Higgidy’s Porcini & Chestnut Mushroom Pie was described as “a showstopper of a mushroom pie – beautifully crafted with a crisp crust and a lovely crumble topping.”
Inside, porcini and chestnut mushrooms combine with a creamy sauce the panel described as rich, glossy and generous, with an earthy, truffle-like aroma and deep savoury flavour.
The brand is also expanding its savoury pastry range with several globally inspired quiches aimed at the growing brunch occasion. These include a Shakshuka-inspired Red Pepper and Greek Feta Brunch Quiche, featuring Belazu Rose Harissa paste in seeded spelt shortcrust pastry and topped with a feta and coriander crumb.
Two additional flavours are also joining the line-up: a Cypriot Halloumi and Chimichurri Quiche with chilli, combining halloumi with parsley, spinach and extra mature Cheddar in a free-range egg filling; and an individually sized Extra Mature Cheddar & Kimchi Little Quiche with spring onions, topped with a crumb mixing kimchi, Red Leicester cheese, cayenne and paprika.
The 400g sharing quiches will retail at £4.60, while the 155g Little Quiche will retail at £3, launching in selected UK retailers from 8 April with wider grocery rollout throughout the month.
Traditional meat pies still hold strong appeal. Wagtail Kitchen’s Steak & Blackstick Blue Pie pairs tender steak with savoury gravy and the salty tang of Blackstick Blue cheese.
Great Taste judges highlighted the pastry as “perfect, flaky, buttery” and praised the generous filling ratio, noting the pie was so full of tender meat it felt ready to burst.
Meanwhile, London’s Sueperlicious Bakery demonstrates how global inspiration is shaping the category with its Malaysian Spiral Potato Curry Puff.
Judges described the pastry as “moreish and dangerously delicious,” highlighting its delicate spiral layers. The filling blends sweet potato and coconut with warming spices, producing what the panel called astonishing depth of flavour, with heat that builds gradually.
A final standout comes from Wyre Pie Company, whose Mr Williams’s Traditional Pork Pie drew praise for both presentation and flavour.
The panel noted its golden finish and decorative top, while the pork filling delivered a coarse texture with confident seasoning. The jelly added richness, described as sweet, juicy and just rich enough to enhance the flavour.
Brands tap changing tastes with chicken-led pies
Shifts in consumer preferences are already shaping product development. Such as the Chicken & Mushroom and limited-edition Chicken Tikka Match Day pie from Fray Bentos.
Brand manager Jude Smart said the launches reflect changing consumer tastes revealed in the brand’s survey.
“Chicken and steak have been battling it out at the top of the pie chart for decades – and we have a new champion,” she said. “The survey stats show Gen Z has fuelled the switch from steak to chicken as the UK’s favourite filling.
“We’ve marked this milestone with the launch of two chicken pies. Chicken & Mushroom adds a classic recipe to the beloved Fray Bentos pie-in-a-tin range, while the limited edition Chicken Tikka Match Day pie – complete with a giant football on pack – is perfectly timed for a summer of wall-to-wall football.”
The Chicken & Mushroom pie is sold in Tesco, Sainsbury’s and B&M, carrying a £2.99 RRP.
The Chicken Tikka Match Day pie is currently stocked in Morrisons, with a rollout planned to Asda, B&M and Home Bargains later in the spring. It also has an RRP of £2.99.
Another brand marking the moment is Wrights, which is celebrating 100 years of baking. The bakery has developed a Centenary Chicken, Leek & Bacon Pie in collaboration with Great British Menu chef Thom Bateman.
The recipe combines chicken thigh, leek and bacon in a creamy filling, encased in cheese shortcrust pastry with a puff lid and finished with a bacon-flavoured crumb. Supplied as a 245g frozen, unbaked pie, the product is designed for foodservice operators and can be baked and served in around 30 minutes.
“Working with Wrights on a pie for its 100th year has been a real privilege,” said Bateman. “Wrights has such a deep heritage in baking, so the goal was to honour that craftsmanship while bringing a fresh approach to flavour and texture. The result is a pie that is hearty, indulgent and incredibly satisfying.”
The pie will be available through wholesale from April, while also appearing freshly baked in Wrights shops across Staffordshire, through Wrights vans and in selected UK forecourts.
Sweet pies also join the celebration
Pies aren’t always savoury – dessert versions are gaining attention, too.
Across the Atlantic, shoppers at Costco have been talking about a lemon custard pie appearing in the retailer’s bakery section. The dessert features a flaky crust filled with lemon custard and finished with a whipped cream border. Fans online say the custard is creamy and velvety smooth, delivering sweetness balanced by a gentle citrus tang. Priced at $18.99, the pie comes in a large format designed for sharing.
Meanwhile, US dessert chain Crumbl is leaning into Pi Day with a Cookie Dough Pie available from 9-4 March. The dessert features a brown sugar and graham pie crust filled with cookie dough-packed brown sugar cream cheese filling and topped with whipped cream, cookie dough pieces and mini chocolate chips.
Each Crumbl location will also offer a surprise bonus pie flavour available only on Pi Day itself, giving American consumers another reason to celebrate pastry this month.
A global appetite for pastry
Pies may be closely tied to British food culture, but the format has a strong presence worldwide, spanning everything from savoury handheld pastries to indulgent dessert pies.
$19bn+: Estimated value of the global pie market across sweet and savoury varieties.
North America accounts for roughly one-third of global pie sales, driven by strong demand for dessert pies and seasonal events such as Thanksgiving and Pi Day.
The UK remains one of the world’s largest savoury pie markets, with pies and pasties a staple of food-to-go and convenience retail.
Australia and New Zealand consume some of the highest volumes of savoury meat pies per capita, with meat pies widely considered a national snack and stadium staple.
In Latin America, sweet and savoury empanadas dominate the handheld pie category, with Argentina alone estimated to produce hundreds of millions of empanadas annually.
Asian bakery chains are increasingly experimenting with pie-style pastries, blending Western formats with local flavours such as curry, red bean and matcha.
Seasonal spike: Pie consumption surges around major events – including British Pie Week in the UK, Thanksgiving in the US and Pi Day on 14 March, which has become an annual excuse for bakeries to showcase creative pie-inspired desserts.
