Angus pie producers are the upper crust

Alan Pirie is pictured with Carol Smilie, who presented the awards.

Angus businesses have shown they are the upper crust when it comes to the world’s best pies, with James Pirie & Son taking the overall title in this year’s World Scotch Pie Championships.

The Newtyle butcher also won the competition in 2018 and 2020 as well as taking the title World Scotch Pie Champion of Champions in 2021 with their iconic Scotch Pie, .

This year it also won the top prize for its sausage roll which took a Diamond title, making it the best sausage roll in Scotland.

In addition, WeeCOOK from Carnoustie won Best Hot Savoury in the land for its Fishwife Pie; best Vegetarian Savoury for its Caponata Formaggio and MacLean Cup for best specialty savoury. D H Robertson from Arbroath took Bronze for its Scotch Pie and for its Sausage Roll while Letham’s Keptie Bakery won Gold in the Hot Savoury catebory for its Chicken Curry Pie.

Alan Pirie, from James Pirie & Son, said: “I am stunned! I was delighted to have won the competition twice and to take the Champion of Champion title but to have once again been judged alongside literally the best pies in the land and to have come out on top is beyond my wildest dreams.

"This is just fantastic news and will be a huge boost to the business after a year of continuing to serve our community with fresh produce through difficult circumstances for us all.”

Alasdair Smith, chief executive of Scottish Bakers which runs the competition each year, said the standard of entries had again been high.

He said: “With nearly 500 of the best pies on the market submitted by 78 of the best butchers, bakers and other pie makers for judging by 60 pie professionals, all of our winners can be proud of placing so highly in the competition” said

The winning products were all considered by the judges to be the best of the best when it came to taste, texture, appearance and smell across all the categories from the iconic Scotch Pie to Football Pies & Savouries, Macaroni Pies, Steak Pies, Sausage Rolls, Cold Savouries, Hot Savouries, Vegetarian Savouries, Haggis Savouries, Bridies and Apple Pies.

Scottish Bakers organises the competition to highlight the craft skills of pie makers producing Scotland’s iconic Scotch Pies, macaroni pies and many more.