As key international football matches fall during prime pie eating season, the nation’s number one pie brand , Pukka, tells us how fish & chip shops can take advantage of a unique opportunity to bag bumper pie sales. Andrew Crook, NFFF President, finds out more.

We’re on the cusp of cheering on our national football teams and given that pies and football go hand-in-hand, fish & chip shops should get prepped to make the most of the sales rush. This is especially true because Britain is a nation of food lovers, which means that whatever the occasion – big or small – food is at the heart of celebrations, and sport is no exception.

This winter, there is an extraordinary sales opportunity as some of the most-watched and highly-anticipated football games are happening during the time when pie consumption is at an all-time high. Pukka’s Managing Director, Isaac Fisher, describes this as a “unique sales opportunity not to be missed” for the fish & chip shop industry, as two key pie consumption moments intertwine.

“Cheering on the Three Lions during winter isn’t something we’re used to – but we’re certainly not complaining! We know that while our pies are enjoyed all year round, there is a particular preference for them during the colder months. In fact, pie sales increased +14% during autumn / winter last year . And when you also consider that during the international matches of summer 2021, sales spiked +25% , there is no better time to get prepped for a huge influx of customers.”

Fish & chip shops have been Pukka’s heartland ever since it baked its first pie in 1963. Therefore, the brand is arming chippy owners with the tools they need to make the most of this unique opportunity.

Fisher explains: “Firstly, offering a complete line-up of pies is vital, so that you have something for everyone. As The People’s Pie – and the nation’s favourite – our comprehensive range can help you do just that. On top of the classics, like All Steak and Chicken & Mushroom, our chip-shop bestseller Steak & Kidney is a must – as is our pitch-side favourite Chicken Balti. To help you reach an even bigger customer-base, including veggies, flexitarians, vegans and meat-reducers, stock-up on our Cheese, Leek & Potato pie, plus our duo of Vegan recipes – Vegan Minced Steak & Onion and Vegan Chicken & Mushroom.”

Fish & chip shops can maximise the opportunity even further by utilising click & collect and home delivery services – to give their customers an easy way to order their pie & chips meal pre-game, post-game or during halftime. They should also harness the power of their social media channels to advertise these services to their local communities.

Fisher adds: “We ran a campaign during lockdown in which we offered chip shops geo-targeted social media advertising to help them shout about the services they have available. We know this tactic works, because chip shop businesses saw a +32% increase in pie sales during the week the social ads were live , compared with the previous week.

“There’s also plenty of resources available on our foodservice website – including our Heat & Serve Guide, Social Media Toolkit and bespoke POS – which will help you to drive engagement and generate sales growth even further. We’d urge all chip shop owners to take advantage of the materials we have available to drive visibility during international football games this winter,” concludes Fisher.

BOX OUT 1 – WIN £1k worth of pies

• WIN £1k worth of pies in Pukka’s monthly prize draw. Find out more here: pukkapies.co.uk/win

BOX OUT 2 – How to order

• Feature the nation’s no.1 pie brand ahead of kick-off on 20th November by calling 0116 264 4000