Battle of the Homebrand Meat Pies—Coles, Woolworths, IGA, & ALDI

Is there anything more Aussie than a good meat pie?

Whether you eat it with a knife and fork, take the lid off to add sauce or eat it straight from the bakery bag, we all appreciate good value for money and golden pastry. But which supermarket offers the best homebrand meat pie? They’re not all created equal, and member @Staffordshire Whippet embarked on a quest to find the cream of the crop.

But first, let’s meet the reviewer.

Meet member @Staffordshire Whippet

I am known to you all as @Staffordshire Whippet, having been in Facebook Gulag too many times under my official account for saying what I was actually thinking.

Sixty-seven years on this planet in this incarnation, happily retired from legal/paralegal employment in Far North Queensland—although, in a previous life, I must have been South Australian as I love Pie Floaters, Coffin Bay Oysters and Southwark Bitter in that order of availability.

Grandfather of one boy who lives in Canberra, thereby presenting the challenges (or opportunities!) of doing several long road trips each year.



Without further ado, here is member @Staffordshire Whippet’s supermarket meat pie review!

'Round up the Usual Suspects'


Meat pie packets (1).jpeg
Coles, Woolworths and IGA’s meat pies in their packaging. Image Credit: SDC/@Staffordshire Whippet



All look much of a muchness so far, but what's with the 4-pack from Coles? A bit cheeky!


Pies whole (1).jpeg
Coles, Woolworths and IGA’s meat pies. Image Credit: SDC/@Staffordshire Whippet



Once out of the packs, there’s not much visual difference between the Black&Gold and the Woolies. The Coles pie is noticeably bigger and heavier; it looks better constructed, too.


Pies half (1).jpeg
(Left to right) Coles, IGA and Woolworths. Pies cut in half. Image Credit: SDC/@Staffordshire Whippet





Left to right on both plates: Coles, Black&Gold, Woolworths, with a few of my favourite additives. I’ve set these two plates up for a blind taste test with my wife.


Pies tasted (1).jpeg
Coles, Woolworths and IGA’s meat pies, mid-tasting. Image Credit: SDC/@Staffordshire Whippet



Result of my wife’s taste test:

Note: The identifying flags were not there while she sampled. The numbers are my wife’s ranking of the pies.

1st (Coles): She said, ‘So good, I didn’t even think of tomato sauce!’
2nd (Woolies): She didn’t like the much harder crust at the edges but liked the back flavour (possibly a trace of nutmeg or mace).
3rd (Black&Gold): She didn’t like much at all—a bit too fatty.



Tip
Make instant Pea & Ham soup with half the recommended water to make quickie mushy peas.


Pies with peas (1).jpeg
The legendary mushy peas and pie combination! Image Credit: SDC/@Staffordshire Whippet



My taste test:

I started off sampling each without any additives (sauce or mushy peas), and for the first time in probably twenty-five years, I agreed with my wife’s verdict.

I found the Woolies (2nd) product difficult to cut, and the pastry joint was simultaneously hard and imperfect, but the flavour was enjoyable.

The Black&Gold (3rd) was just within my definition of acceptable, if a bit fatty—it tasted a bit ‘Gravox—it might just work in an Adelaide-style Pie Floater, especially if it softens the crust. It definitely benefited from the Worcestershire sauce.

The Coles pie (1st) was easily the best of the three.

All three pies, of course, tasted much better on the second sample with my ‘Quickie Mushy Peas’, but then that’s just me….



General review of all three products:

I am surprised at the differences between the Woolworths and Black&Gold products. At first sight, they looked interchangeable. I always thought they were made by the same manufacturer… Maybe they are, but to slightly different specifications for each retailer, or different results for different batches according to who’s working on the day? But taste-wise, they definitely aren’t the same.

I’m prepared to forgive Coles for the 4-pack vs. 6-pack difference. Their pies are by far the better offering. It looks like I’ll be driving to Coles a bit more often…

The Numbers:

Coles Frozen Meat Pies 4 Pack | 700g


Screen Shot 2023-09-05 at 11.01.13 am.png
Image Credit: Coles



Price: $5.50 — Link to purchase

Affordability: 5 stars ($5.50 for the 4-pack, plus a 70 km round-trip to the nearest Coles!) (Still, that’s better than a 2200 km round-trip to ALDI in Rockhampton….)

Quality: 5 stars No argument!


Woolworths Meat Pies 6 Pack (900g)


Screen Shot 2023-09-05 at 10.59.55 am.png
Image Credit: Woolworths



Price: $5.70 — Link to purchase
Affordability: 5 stars, $5.70 for 6

Quality: 3 stars


Black and Gold Pie Meat 6pk 900gm


Screen Shot 2023-09-05 at 11.01.36 am.png
Image Credit: IGA



Price: $5.70 at my local Supa IGA in Atherton (might vary store-to-store) — Link to purchase

Affordability: 5 stars

Quality: 2.5 stars (Lower than a 3)



Is it worth it?

On a purely cost-basis, all three products are worth their price; it’s just that the usages I would recommend are different.

The ‘worst’ option (B&G) would still work well in a Pie Floater. The middle one (Woolies) tastes pleasant once you get past the hard crust.

Notwithstanding the fewer pies/heavier individual pie trade-off, the Coles offering is the best value for me, in pure munchability terms. It’s comparable to some of the ‘Name’ brands and streets ahead of Balfours or Mrs Macs.



BONUS: ALDI's Elmsbury Beef Pies

Price:
Around $4

Note from Editor: It would have been a 2200 km round-trip to ALDI, so this was not included in the taste test on the day. As a meat pie connoisseur, member @Staffordshire Whippet made some notes based on his experiences with ALDI pies.

Affordability: 5 stars

Quality: 3 stars

General review:

It’s been a long time since I’ve had these, but if memory serves me correctly, they went OK in a Pie Floater. I remember my wife wasn’t overly excited about them; she used a lot of tomato sauce.

With all the other good convenience foods at ALDI, truthfully, that’s something I’ve never really considered with respect to their pies. They’re OK, I suppose; what I’d really like to see (and would happily pay twice their price for!) would be for ALDI to sell a Specialty Range, like Steak & Kidney. There is definitely a market niche there, especially for us old dinosaurs who fondly remember Lambs’ Fry & Bacon and such things, and it would certainly be something to look forward to on our long road trips south.


product review graphic (1).jpg
The results are in... Image Credit: SDC




Which is the winner?

The winner is Coles, by a length to Woolworths in second and bringing up the rear is Black&Gold (IGA).

From the Editor:
A round of applause for this fantastic review and thorough taste testing by member @Staffordshire Whippet and his wife! Do you agree with this review What would you rate each pie? Let us know in the comments below or leave a kind word for member @Staffordshire Whippet if you enjoyed the review as much as we did!

We were only able to create this content because of the financial support of SDC Rewards members. If you'd like to see more of this (and a lot fewer ads!), please consider supporting us and signing up for SDC Rewards today—it starts at under 20 cents per day.
 
Sponsored
Is there anything more Aussie than a good meat pie?

Whether you eat it with a knife and fork, take the lid off to add sauce or eat it straight from the bakery bag, we all appreciate good value for money and golden pastry. But which supermarket offers the best homebrand meat pie? They’re not all created equal, and member @Staffordshire Whippet embarked on a quest to find the cream of the crop.

But first, let’s meet the reviewer.

Meet member @Staffordshire Whippet

I am known to you all as @Staffordshire Whippet, having been in Facebook Gulag too many times under my official account for saying what I was actually thinking.

Sixty-seven years on this planet in this incarnation, happily retired from legal/paralegal employment in Far North Queensland—although, in a previous life, I must have been South Australian as I love Pie Floaters, Coffin Bay Oysters and Southwark Bitter in that order of availability.

Grandfather of one boy who lives in Canberra, thereby presenting the challenges (or opportunities!) of doing several long road trips each year.



Without further ado, here is member @Staffordshire Whippet’s supermarket meat pie review!

'Round up the Usual Suspects'


View attachment 29104
Coles, Woolworths and IGA’s meat pies in their packaging. Image Credit: SDC/@Staffordshire Whippet



All look much of a muchness so far, but what's with the 4-pack from Coles? A bit cheeky!


View attachment 29105
Coles, Woolworths and IGA’s meat pies. Image Credit: SDC/@Staffordshire Whippet



Once out of the packs, there’s not much visual difference between the Black&Gold and the Woolies. The Coles pie is noticeably bigger and heavier; it looks better constructed, too.


View attachment 29106
(Left to right) Coles, IGA and Woolworths. Pies cut in half. Image Credit: SDC/@Staffordshire Whippet





Left to right on both plates: Coles, Black&Gold, Woolworths, with a few of my favourite additives. I’ve set these two plates up for a blind taste test with my wife.


View attachment 29107
Coles, Woolworths and IGA’s meat pies, mid-tasting. Image Credit: SDC/@Staffordshire Whippet



Result of my wife’s taste test:

Note: The identifying flags were not there while she sampled. The numbers are my wife’s ranking of the pies.

1st (Coles): She said, ‘So good, I didn’t even think of tomato sauce!’
2nd (Woolies): She didn’t like the much harder crust at the edges but liked the back flavour (possibly a trace of nutmeg or mace).
3rd (Black&Gold): She didn’t like much at all—a bit too fatty.



Tip
Make instant Pea & Ham soup with half the recommended water to make quickie mushy peas.


View attachment 29108
The legendary mushy peas and pie combination! Image Credit: SDC/@Staffordshire Whippet



My taste test:

I started off sampling each without any additives (sauce or mushy peas), and for the first time in probably twenty-five years, I agreed with my wife’s verdict.

I found the Woolies (2nd) product difficult to cut, and the pastry joint was simultaneously hard and imperfect, but the flavour was enjoyable.

The Black&Gold (3rd) was just within my definition of acceptable, if a bit fatty—it tasted a bit ‘Gravox—it might just work in an Adelaide-style Pie Floater, especially if it softens the crust. It definitely benefited from the Worcestershire sauce.

The Coles pie (1st) was easily the best of the three.

All three pies, of course, tasted much better on the second sample with my ‘Quickie Mushy Peas’, but then that’s just me….



General review of all three products:

I am surprised at the differences between the Woolworths and Black&Gold products. At first sight, they looked interchangeable. I always thought they were made by the same manufacturer… Maybe they are, but to slightly different specifications for each retailer, or different results for different batches according to who’s working on the day? But taste-wise, they definitely aren’t the same.

I’m prepared to forgive Coles for the 4-pack vs. 6-pack difference. Their pies are by far the better offering. It looks like I’ll be driving to Coles a bit more often…

The Numbers:

Coles Frozen Meat Pies 4 Pack | 700g


View attachment 29110
Image Credit: Coles



Price: $5.50 — Link to purchase

Affordability: 5 stars ($5.50 for the 4-pack, plus a 70 km round-trip to the nearest Coles!) (Still, that’s better than a 2200 km round-trip to ALDI in Rockhampton….)

Quality: 5 stars No argument!


Woolworths Meat Pies 6 Pack (900g)


View attachment 29109
Image Credit: Woolworths



Price: $5.70 — Link to purchase
Affordability: 5 stars, $5.70 for 6

Quality: 3 stars


Black and Gold Pie Meat 6pk 900gm


View attachment 29111
Image Credit: IGA



Price: $5.70 at my local Supa IGA in Atherton (might vary store-to-store) — Link to purchase

Affordability: 5 stars

Quality: 2.5 stars (Lower than a 3)



Is it worth it?

On a purely cost-basis, all three products are worth their price; it’s just that the usages I would recommend are different.

The ‘worst’ option (B&G) would still work well in a Pie Floater. The middle one (Woolies) tastes pleasant once you get past the hard crust.

Notwithstanding the fewer pies/heavier individual pie trade-off, the Coles offering is the best value for me, in pure munchability terms. It’s comparable to some of the ‘Name’ brands and streets ahead of Balfours or Mrs Macs.



BONUS: ALDI's Elmsbury Beef Pies

Price:
Around $4

Note from Editor: It would have been a 2200 km round-trip to ALDI, so this was not included in the taste test on the day. As a meat pie connoisseur, member @Staffordshire Whippet made some notes based on his experiences with ALDI pies.

Affordability: 5 stars

Quality: 3 stars

General review:

It’s been a long time since I’ve had these, but if memory serves me correctly, they went OK in a Pie Floater. I remember my wife wasn’t overly excited about them; she used a lot of tomato sauce.

With all the other good convenience foods at ALDI, truthfully, that’s something I’ve never really considered with respect to their pies. They’re OK, I suppose; what I’d really like to see (and would happily pay twice their price for!) would be for ALDI to sell a Specialty Range, like Steak & Kidney. There is definitely a market niche there, especially for us old dinosaurs who fondly remember Lambs’ Fry & Bacon and such things, and it would certainly be something to look forward to on our long road trips south.


View attachment 29112
The results are in... Image Credit: SDC




Which is the winner?

The winner is Coles, by a length to Woolworths in second and bringing up the rear is Black&Gold (IGA).

From the Editor:
A round of applause for this fantastic review and thorough taste testing by member @Staffordshire Whippet and his wife! Do you agree with this review What would you rate each pie? Let us know in the comments below or leave a kind word for member @Staffordshire Whippet if you enjoyed the review as much as we did!

We were only able to create this content because of the financial support of SDC Rewards members. If you'd like to see more of this (and a lot fewer ads!), please consider supporting us and signing up for SDC Rewards today—it starts at under 20 cents per day.
I still like my four n twenty👍
 
Is there anything more Aussie than a good meat pie?

Whether you eat it with a knife and fork, take the lid off to add sauce or eat it straight from the bakery bag, we all appreciate good value for money and golden pastry. But which supermarket offers the best homebrand meat pie? They’re not all created equal, and member @Staffordshire Whippet embarked on a quest to find the cream of the crop.

But first, let’s meet the reviewer.

Meet member @Staffordshire Whippet

I am known to you all as @Staffordshire Whippet, having been in Facebook Gulag too many times under my official account for saying what I was actually thinking.

Sixty-seven years on this planet in this incarnation, happily retired from legal/paralegal employment in Far North Queensland—although, in a previous life, I must have been South Australian as I love Pie Floaters, Coffin Bay Oysters and Southwark Bitter in that order of availability.

Grandfather of one boy who lives in Canberra, thereby presenting the challenges (or opportunities!) of doing several long road trips each year.



Without further ado, here is member @Staffordshire Whippet’s supermarket meat pie review!

'Round up the Usual Suspects'


View attachment 29104
Coles, Woolworths and IGA’s meat pies in their packaging. Image Credit: SDC/@Staffordshire Whippet



All look much of a muchness so far, but what's with the 4-pack from Coles? A bit cheeky!


View attachment 29105
Coles, Woolworths and IGA’s meat pies. Image Credit: SDC/@Staffordshire Whippet



Once out of the packs, there’s not much visual difference between the Black&Gold and the Woolies. The Coles pie is noticeably bigger and heavier; it looks better constructed, too.


View attachment 29106
(Left to right) Coles, IGA and Woolworths. Pies cut in half. Image Credit: SDC/@Staffordshire Whippet





Left to right on both plates: Coles, Black&Gold, Woolworths, with a few of my favourite additives. I’ve set these two plates up for a blind taste test with my wife.


View attachment 29107
Coles, Woolworths and IGA’s meat pies, mid-tasting. Image Credit: SDC/@Staffordshire Whippet



Result of my wife’s taste test:

Note: The identifying flags were not there while she sampled. The numbers are my wife’s ranking of the pies.

1st (Coles): She said, ‘So good, I didn’t even think of tomato sauce!’
2nd (Woolies): She didn’t like the much harder crust at the edges but liked the back flavour (possibly a trace of nutmeg or mace).
3rd (Black&Gold): She didn’t like much at all—a bit too fatty.



Tip
Make instant Pea & Ham soup with half the recommended water to make quickie mushy peas.


View attachment 29108
The legendary mushy peas and pie combination! Image Credit: SDC/@Staffordshire Whippet



My taste test:

I started off sampling each without any additives (sauce or mushy peas), and for the first time in probably twenty-five years, I agreed with my wife’s verdict.

I found the Woolies (2nd) product difficult to cut, and the pastry joint was simultaneously hard and imperfect, but the flavour was enjoyable.

The Black&Gold (3rd) was just within my definition of acceptable, if a bit fatty—it tasted a bit ‘Gravox—it might just work in an Adelaide-style Pie Floater, especially if it softens the crust. It definitely benefited from the Worcestershire sauce.

The Coles pie (1st) was easily the best of the three.

All three pies, of course, tasted much better on the second sample with my ‘Quickie Mushy Peas’, but then that’s just me….



General review of all three products:

I am surprised at the differences between the Woolworths and Black&Gold products. At first sight, they looked interchangeable. I always thought they were made by the same manufacturer… Maybe they are, but to slightly different specifications for each retailer, or different results for different batches according to who’s working on the day? But taste-wise, they definitely aren’t the same.

I’m prepared to forgive Coles for the 4-pack vs. 6-pack difference. Their pies are by far the better offering. It looks like I’ll be driving to Coles a bit more often…

The Numbers:

Coles Frozen Meat Pies 4 Pack | 700g


View attachment 29110
Image Credit: Coles



Price: $5.50 — Link to purchase

Affordability: 5 stars ($5.50 for the 4-pack, plus a 70 km round-trip to the nearest Coles!) (Still, that’s better than a 2200 km round-trip to ALDI in Rockhampton….)

Quality: 5 stars No argument!


Woolworths Meat Pies 6 Pack (900g)


View attachment 29109
Image Credit: Woolworths



Price: $5.70 — Link to purchase
Affordability: 5 stars, $5.70 for 6

Quality: 3 stars


Black and Gold Pie Meat 6pk 900gm


View attachment 29111
Image Credit: IGA



Price: $5.70 at my local Supa IGA in Atherton (might vary store-to-store) — Link to purchase

Affordability: 5 stars

Quality: 2.5 stars (Lower than a 3)



Is it worth it?

On a purely cost-basis, all three products are worth their price; it’s just that the usages I would recommend are different.

The ‘worst’ option (B&G) would still work well in a Pie Floater. The middle one (Woolies) tastes pleasant once you get past the hard crust.

Notwithstanding the fewer pies/heavier individual pie trade-off, the Coles offering is the best value for me, in pure munchability terms. It’s comparable to some of the ‘Name’ brands and streets ahead of Balfours or Mrs Macs.



BONUS: ALDI's Elmsbury Beef Pies

Price:
Around $4

Note from Editor: It would have been a 2200 km round-trip to ALDI, so this was not included in the taste test on the day. As a meat pie connoisseur, member @Staffordshire Whippet made some notes based on his experiences with ALDI pies.

Affordability: 5 stars

Quality: 3 stars

General review:

It’s been a long time since I’ve had these, but if memory serves me correctly, they went OK in a Pie Floater. I remember my wife wasn’t overly excited about them; she used a lot of tomato sauce.

With all the other good convenience foods at ALDI, truthfully, that’s something I’ve never really considered with respect to their pies. They’re OK, I suppose; what I’d really like to see (and would happily pay twice their price for!) would be for ALDI to sell a Specialty Range, like Steak & Kidney. There is definitely a market niche there, especially for us old dinosaurs who fondly remember Lambs’ Fry & Bacon and such things, and it would certainly be something to look forward to on our long road trips south.


View attachment 29112
The results are in... Image Credit: SDC




Which is the winner?

The winner is Coles, by a length to Woolworths in second and bringing up the rear is Black&Gold (IGA).

From the Editor:
A round of applause for this fantastic review and thorough taste testing by member @Staffordshire Whippet and his wife! Do you agree with this review What would you rate each pie? Let us know in the comments below or leave a kind word for member @Staffordshire Whippet if you enjoyed the review as much as we did!

We were only able to create this content because of the financial support of SDC Rewards members. If you'd like to see more of this (and a lot fewer ads!), please consider supporting us and signing up for SDC Rewards today—it starts at under 20 cents per day.
Loved the article. Will try the mushy pea trick. Much easier than carting tins of mushy peas, and I’m the only one in my house who loves them. Will add the pies to my next shopping list for coles. 🤗🤗🤗
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ezzy and janj
The price means very little if they don't have the taste (other than over salted). Most likely if not up to scratch they'd remain in the freezer then eventually tossed.
 
  • Like
Reactions: janj
Is there anything more Aussie than a good meat pie?

Whether you eat it with a knife and fork, take the lid off to add sauce or eat it straight from the bakery bag, we all appreciate good value for money and golden pastry. But which supermarket offers the best homebrand meat pie? They’re not all created equal, and member @Staffordshire Whippet embarked on a quest to find the cream of the crop.

But first, let’s meet the reviewer.

Meet member @Staffordshire Whippet

I am known to you all as @Staffordshire Whippet, having been in Facebook Gulag too many times under my official account for saying what I was actually thinking.

Sixty-seven years on this planet in this incarnation, happily retired from legal/paralegal employment in Far North Queensland—although, in a previous life, I must have been South Australian as I love Pie Floaters, Coffin Bay Oysters and Southwark Bitter in that order of availability.

Grandfather of one boy who lives in Canberra, thereby presenting the challenges (or opportunities!) of doing several long road trips each year.



Without further ado, here is member @Staffordshire Whippet’s supermarket meat pie review!

'Round up the Usual Suspects'


View attachment 29104
Coles, Woolworths and IGA’s meat pies in their packaging. Image Credit: SDC/@Staffordshire Whippet



All look much of a muchness so far, but what's with the 4-pack from Coles? A bit cheeky!


View attachment 29105
Coles, Woolworths and IGA’s meat pies. Image Credit: SDC/@Staffordshire Whippet



Once out of the packs, there’s not much visual difference between the Black&Gold and the Woolies. The Coles pie is noticeably bigger and heavier; it looks better constructed, too.


View attachment 29106
(Left to right) Coles, IGA and Woolworths. Pies cut in half. Image Credit: SDC/@Staffordshire Whippet





Left to right on both plates: Coles, Black&Gold, Woolworths, with a few of my favourite additives. I’ve set these two plates up for a blind taste test with my wife.


View attachment 29107
Coles, Woolworths and IGA’s meat pies, mid-tasting. Image Credit: SDC/@Staffordshire Whippet



Result of my wife’s taste test:

Note: The identifying flags were not there while she sampled. The numbers are my wife’s ranking of the pies.

1st (Coles): She said, ‘So good, I didn’t even think of tomato sauce!’
2nd (Woolies): She didn’t like the much harder crust at the edges but liked the back flavour (possibly a trace of nutmeg or mace).
3rd (Black&Gold): She didn’t like much at all—a bit too fatty.



Tip
Make instant Pea & Ham soup with half the recommended water to make quickie mushy peas.


View attachment 29108
The legendary mushy peas and pie combination! Image Credit: SDC/@Staffordshire Whippet



My taste test:

I started off sampling each without any additives (sauce or mushy peas), and for the first time in probably twenty-five years, I agreed with my wife’s verdict.

I found the Woolies (2nd) product difficult to cut, and the pastry joint was simultaneously hard and imperfect, but the flavour was enjoyable.

The Black&Gold (3rd) was just within my definition of acceptable, if a bit fatty—it tasted a bit ‘Gravox—it might just work in an Adelaide-style Pie Floater, especially if it softens the crust. It definitely benefited from the Worcestershire sauce.

The Coles pie (1st) was easily the best of the three.

All three pies, of course, tasted much better on the second sample with my ‘Quickie Mushy Peas’, but then that’s just me….



General review of all three products:

I am surprised at the differences between the Woolworths and Black&Gold products. At first sight, they looked interchangeable. I always thought they were made by the same manufacturer… Maybe they are, but to slightly different specifications for each retailer, or different results for different batches according to who’s working on the day? But taste-wise, they definitely aren’t the same.

I’m prepared to forgive Coles for the 4-pack vs. 6-pack difference. Their pies are by far the better offering. It looks like I’ll be driving to Coles a bit more often…

The Numbers:

Coles Frozen Meat Pies 4 Pack | 700g


View attachment 29110
Image Credit: Coles



Price: $5.50 — Link to purchase

Affordability: 5 stars ($5.50 for the 4-pack, plus a 70 km round-trip to the nearest Coles!) (Still, that’s better than a 2200 km round-trip to ALDI in Rockhampton….)

Quality: 5 stars No argument!


Woolworths Meat Pies 6 Pack (900g)


View attachment 29109
Image Credit: Woolworths



Price: $5.70 — Link to purchase
Affordability: 5 stars, $5.70 for 6

Quality: 3 stars


Black and Gold Pie Meat 6pk 900gm


View attachment 29111
Image Credit: IGA



Price: $5.70 at my local Supa IGA in Atherton (might vary store-to-store) — Link to purchase

Affordability: 5 stars

Quality: 2.5 stars (Lower than a 3)



Is it worth it?

On a purely cost-basis, all three products are worth their price; it’s just that the usages I would recommend are different.

The ‘worst’ option (B&G) would still work well in a Pie Floater. The middle one (Woolies) tastes pleasant once you get past the hard crust.

Notwithstanding the fewer pies/heavier individual pie trade-off, the Coles offering is the best value for me, in pure munchability terms. It’s comparable to some of the ‘Name’ brands and streets ahead of Balfours or Mrs Macs.



BONUS: ALDI's Elmsbury Beef Pies

Price:
Around $4

Note from Editor: It would have been a 2200 km round-trip to ALDI, so this was not included in the taste test on the day. As a meat pie connoisseur, member @Staffordshire Whippet made some notes based on his experiences with ALDI pies.

Affordability: 5 stars

Quality: 3 stars

General review:

It’s been a long time since I’ve had these, but if memory serves me correctly, they went OK in a Pie Floater. I remember my wife wasn’t overly excited about them; she used a lot of tomato sauce.

With all the other good convenience foods at ALDI, truthfully, that’s something I’ve never really considered with respect to their pies. They’re OK, I suppose; what I’d really like to see (and would happily pay twice their price for!) would be for ALDI to sell a Specialty Range, like Steak & Kidney. There is definitely a market niche there, especially for us old dinosaurs who fondly remember Lambs’ Fry & Bacon and such things, and it would certainly be something to look forward to on our long road trips south.


View attachment 29112
The results are in... Image Credit: SDC




Which is the winner?

The winner is Coles, by a length to Woolworths in second and bringing up the rear is Black&Gold (IGA).

From the Editor:
A round of applause for this fantastic review and thorough taste testing by member @Staffordshire Whippet and his wife! Do you agree with this review What would you rate each pie? Let us know in the comments below or leave a kind word for member @Staffordshire Whippet if you enjoyed the review as much as we did!

We were only able to create this content because of the financial support of SDC Rewards members. If you'd like to see more of this (and a lot fewer ads!), please consider supporting us and signing up for SDC Rewards today—it starts at under 20 cents per day.
ALDI's pies 🥧 are made at Patties factory 🏭 as I've brought both from the factory at Pakenham when they have specials also party pies 🥧 and sausage rolls 😋
 
  • Love
Reactions: Granny*Deb
Good job Whippett, I sometimes buy Coles brand pies but my favourite is chicken and leek and hubby likes pepper steak pies. I usually have a box of party pies and sausage rolls in the freezer and use them when I want plain pies.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ezzy and Granny*Deb
Comes down to personal taste I guess.
If not far from Aldi's the best are their Elmsbury Beef Pies .
As you write, it "Comes down to personal taste..." For mine, the tester's comments regarding the Elmsbury brand pies sold by ALDI were extremely generous.
 

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News, deals, games, and bargains for Aussies over 60. From everyday expenses like groceries and eating out, to electronics, fashion and travel, the club is all about helping you make your money go further.

Seniors Discount Club

The SDC searches for the best deals, discounts, and bargains for Aussies over 60. From everyday expenses like groceries and eating out, to electronics, fashion and travel, the club is all about helping you make your money go further.
  1. New members
  2. Jokes & fun
  3. Photography
  4. Nostalgia / Yesterday's Australia
  5. Food and Lifestyle
  6. Money Saving Hacks
  7. Offtopic / Everything else

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  • We believe that retirement should be a time to relax and enjoy life, not worry about money. That's why we're here to help our members make the most of their retirement years. If you're over 60 and looking for ways to save money, connect with others, and have a laugh, we’d love to have you aboard.
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