What’s a meat pie without meat? Well, heritage family-owned firm Ferguson Plarre Bakehouses reckons its brand new meat-free pie is an absolute winner.

The iconic Victorian business is right on trend with its latest menu additions. It has baked and perfected its traditional pie and sausage roll under the watchful eye of new convert to the plant-based food trend, CEO Steve Plarre.

Plarre recently made the switch to a plant-based diet himself, making the move to understand more about the flexitarian approach to food.

“These days people are trying to eat less meat but they still want to enjoy pies and sausage rolls. We’re excited to answer the call of the wild for more plant-based options – especially two Aussie family favourites,” he said.

“Whether it’s for health, the planet, the animals, or just wanting to cut back on a meat-heavy diet, Australians are getting curious about plant-based products,” Steve said.

What’s in the pies?

The plant-based Aussie Pie centres on chickpeas, with wheat, garlic, onion, and herbs and spices.  In the sausage roll it’s the combination of shitake mushrooms, carrots, potatoes, onions, chickpeas, garlic, onions and a secret blend of herbs and spices that hits the mark.

The business has been testing products for 14 months, adapting the traditional family recipes to suit today’s flexitarian consumer.

And it’s a move that’s won support from animal group and Ferguson Plarre goodwill partner, PETA. 

It’s a good move for business too. Growing concerns over animal welfare and climate change have fast-tracked Australia to third spot in the world’s fastest-growing markets for vegan food.

Analyst firm Euromonitor International is expecting this sector to be worth $6 billion within 10 years.

Other food franchisors have tapped into the plant-based diet with menu additions. Convenience chain 7-Eleven stores are trialling meat-free snack food, there’s plant-based chicken at Nando’s. And the big guns in fast food are no slouches in the vegan-friendly options with Hungry Jack’s meat-free Rebel Whopper, McDonald’s launching a veggie burger and Domino’s announcing soy-based protein as a meat alternative for its plant-based pizzas.