Shoulers secures slice of the action at The British Pie Awards 2022

Mon 14 Mar 2022

The British Pie Awards 2022 have just taken place in Melton Mowbray and Shouler & Son has, once more, joined leading local business in sponsoring one of the classes and judging the winning entries.

Hosted by the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Association, the British Pie Awards is an annual award scheme established in 2009.

The aim of the awards is “to celebrate the heritage of the British Pie, protect and promote regional specialities, recognise the craft of bakers, butchers and other producers and to support British produce”.

This year (2022) marks Shouler & Son’s eighth year of sponsorship association with the awards and sees the Melton Mowbray-based property firm sponsor the Pork Pie Class 2 category.

In total, there were 23 entry categories for hot or cold pies in this year’s awards.

Pie classes cover pub pie to fish pie, vegan and vegetarian pies and dessert pie among others. The Melton Mowbray Pork Pie has a class of its own.

There were a record 976 entries from 179 piemakers this year competing for  best in class and, ultimately, the overall champion pie award.

Ben Shouler, managing partner, Shouler & Son has been an awards judge for three years and he joined 150 other judges at St Mary’s Church in Melton town centre last week (09 March).

Judges are given tasting notes and are invited to sample and score pies in the allocated judging classes against strict criteria including appearance, pastry thickness, texture and taste and filling texture and taste.

There were a record 976 entries from 179 piemakers this year competing for best in class and, ultimately, the overall champion pie award.

In the Pork Pie Class 2 category, sponsored by Shouler & Son, the winning pie was awarded to Oakham-based Leeson Family Butchers for its Leeson’s Pork Pie.

The overall supreme champion pie was Mooless Pie, a gluten-free, vegetarian pie made by Pieminister of Bristol.

Commenting on this year’s awards, Ben Shouler said, “With a focus on variety and quality, The British Pie Awards recognise and reward the coming together of fine produce and ingredients and the skills of butcher and baker in taking such a pride in producing good, honest food.

“Pies are a fine British institution and should be celebrated - none more so than the pork pie which has such a high profile association with Melton Mowbray.

“As one of Melton Mowbray’s most established family firms, Shouler & Son is, rightly, proud to be associated with The British Pie Awards again this year.

 “We are looking forward to continuing our sponsorship for many years to come.”