Great Aussie bite to become American pie

[hampster 0]

Great Aussie bite to become American pie

Monday Sep 11 15:50 AEST

An Aussie icon is set to become the next big thing in American football this season.

Australian trade officials announced on Monday that the revered meat pie is,

to follow a procession of local products,

including Holden cars and Fosters beer, to the lucrative US market.

Victorian-based Patties Foods, which makes the Four'N Twenty pie,

said it had secured a distributor for its products and had shipped the first container of pies to the US.

"Meat pies are a new experience for American consumers brought up on hot dogs and burgers,

" Patties' managing director Richard Rijs said.

"The free trade agreement played a big part in getting into the US market,

but there has been a lot of work getting to this point.

"If it's as successful as we're hoping,

it could have a major impact on the business and the regional community where we operate,

but we're keeping our feet on the ground and trying not to get carried away with it.

"Four'N Twenty is the icon brand and it had to be the one to go and attack the US market.

We're pretty excited about it, yeah."

Patties Foods is not alone, with an increasing number of Australian businesses,

also eyeing America as a prospective export market,

following the Australia-US free trade agreement which came into effect in January 2005,

the Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) said.

"The more they learn about meat pies, the more they like it.

The Australian brand is very strong in the United States,

" Austrade chief economist Tim Harcourt said.

"Building Australia's brand in a vast market like the US - through deals like this one with Patties Foods

is very important to get us noticed and build on our good standing among American consumers."

Visitors to the Fine Food Australia trade fair in Melbourne,

where the announcement was made,

chomped eagerly into Patties' wares and were able even to drown their pies,

in barbecue sauces inspired by another Aussie icon,

veteran actor Jack Thompson, at another exhibitor stand just a few metres away.

The film star and green campaigner said his culinary pursuits began as a hobby,

adding he welcomed any comparisons to Hollywood heavyweight Paul Newman,

who also makes his own sauces and salad dressings and donates profits to charity.

"I wouldn't think it's the start of a new career but it's a great way of getting funds to Landcare,

which is a really important initiative in the community," said Thompson.

"If it was as successful as Paul Newman's,

I'd be very happy. He's an actor I admire, so it's a comparison I'm only too happy to say yes to."

More than 750 exhibitors are showcasing the latest foods at the four-day trade fair, which is expected to attract 30,000 industry delegates from around the world.

Cheers

Paul

Edited September 16, 2006 by hampster

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

mmmmm

[hampster 0]

Gotta Love a Aussie Meat Pie with BBQ SAUCE

[Jolibee76 1]

this is blooody excellent!!! keep us posted!!!! when are they going to export real beer like VB here??? heheheh

[CarolineM 0]

Where did you find this article? I'd love to foward it to Stewart...he'll be SO excited...although Beaumont's are his faves.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Where did you find this article? I'd love to foward it to Stewart...he'll be SO excited...although Beaumont's are his faves.

here

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

I've not had the pleasure of experienceing this aussie culinary product. I'll eat just about anything along as it don't have green beans.

What is it like?

*getting hungry*

Daniel

:energetic:

[CarolineM 0]

Thanks Rich!

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Thanks Rich!

you're welcome

[Kath 0]

thanks for the link luckystrike

i do hope they export to toledo.. i use to live where they make the pies and the smell omg it made you want to buy one as you drove by...

i so miss my pies an your killing them by putting bbq sauce on um..sheesh good ole aussie tomato sauce thank you very much lol heheheh

we do have a place here in toledo that make aussie pies called crikey's authentic aussie pies..they are ok but not the same its got to do with the pastry...they are sold in our supermarkets here...

now if only they would export our sausage rolls along with the pies...

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh im feeling homesick for our food...lol

thanks for the heads up on our aussie icon mate was good to read...

take care

kath