Official Grand Champion Award

To be crowned Australia’s Official Grand Champion, you need to win both the Overall Plain Meat Pie & the Overall Plain Sausage Roll Categories.

If one bakery takes this out, the prize includes the following:

Unox Speed Compact Eco Oven – valued at $11,500
EOI Voucher – valued at $2,000
Too Easy Social Media Subscription (12 months) – valued at $6,000
Simple Simon Pie Pallets – valued at $500
NBIA Membership – valued at $396
Australian Pie Council – $1,000 Cash Prize

Total = $21K+

This page tells you everything you need to know about the Official Great Aussie Pie Competition categories, major titles, and awards.

2023 Official Plain Meat Pie Major Title Winner

Official Plain Meat Pie Major Title
(Mince, Chunky, or Combo)

Each establishment is allowed to submit three (3) entries in the plain pie competition category. This enables those pie manufacturers who make different kinds of plain pies to enter three (3) examples of their work. For example, a plain mince, a plain chunky, and a plain mince/chunky combination entry. Plain pies must contain either beef, veal, or lamb. No vegetables are allowed except for onion.

Official Plain Sausage Roll Major Title

Each establishment is allowed to submit one (1) recipe in the Plain Sausage Roll category. Entries should be single serve size (min 10cm – max 20cm), open ended roll in a puff pastry case with a seasoned meat filling (usually beef or pork or combination of both). Some onion, carrot, herbs, and breadcrumbs may be added for flavour and texture, other vegetables are not permitted.

Overall Official Gourmet Pie Major Title

The Overall Official Gourmet Pie competition category winner is awarded to the pie with the highest overall score from the eleven (11) sub-categories below. 

Official Meat Pastie Title

One entry per establishment, using a meat Pastie recipe.
This title is awarded to the highest overall scoring Pastie.

2022 Official Gourmet Sausage Roll Category Winner - Gippsland Gourmet Pies

Official Gourmet Sausage Roll Major Title

Unlimited entries are allowed by each establishment in the Gourmet Sausage Roll category. Any gourmet filling is accepted including Game, Poultry, Vegetarian, Red Meat, Gluten Free etc.

Gourmet Pie Sub-categories

We have eleven (11) sub-categories (see below). Each establishment is allowed unlimited entries in each sub-category. For example, you may enter as many times in the poultry sub-category as you wish (e.g., “Chicken and Mushroom” or “Chicken and Corn” or “Chicken and Vegetable” etc.). You will be charged entry and courier fees for each entry.

2023 Gourmet Red Meat Pie Winner

Red Meat

Beef, Veal, Lamb, Buffalo, etc.

Sponsored by Pyneys Pie Reviews and Ringers Western

Game

Venison, Goat, Rabbit, Crocodile, Kangaroo, etc.

Gourmet Pie Category - Apple Pie

Apple

Multiple recipes are permitted to enter this sub-category, for example “Apple only” “Apple and Raspberry”, “Apple and Apricot” etc. Apple must be the main ingredient in all, however additional fruit is accepted. Sliced or Diced apple to be used (no puree). Short crust pastry or puff can be used. Top decoration is permitted.

Sponsored by Puratos

Pork

This category applies to pies with a pork meat filling. Also includes traditional cold pork meat pie as subcategory

Please note: “Traditional Cold Pork Pies” can receive a Gold, Silver or Bronze certificate, but are not eligible to take out the overall category win as they are not judged equally against aussie style pork pies that are judged hot and cold.   

2023 Potato Top Pie Winner

Shepherd’s / Potato Top Pie

Any meat/vegetable filling recipe can be entered. Pies should have a potato, potato variation, or sweet potato top, pasty lid is not required.

Sponsored by Dunbrae Bakery Solutions

Gourmet Pie Category - Brekkie Pie

Brekkie

Sweet or savoury recipes can be entered e.g., Bacon and Egg or Muesli and Fruit.

Sponsored by EOI

2020 Category Winner - Gourmet Chicken Pie

Poultry

Chicken, Turkey, Duck, Quail etc

Sponsored by Manildra Group

2023 Gluten-Free Pie Winner

Gluten Free

Sponsored by
Well & Good

Seafood

Incudes salt water and freshwater marine life.

Sponsored by Moffat

Vegetarian/Vegan

Sponsored by Puratos

Gourmet Pie Category - Slow Cooked/Smoked BBQ

Slow Cooked / Smoked BBQ

Beef, Pork, or Lamb.

Sponsored by Smartpay

Apprentice Category
2025 = Vegetarian/Vegan Pie

The pie flavour for this category changes each year and will be announced when competition registration opens (e.g., 2020 = plain meat pie flavour, 2021 = poultry flavour).

The apprentices employer must enter a major category in the competition to gain a single entry for each apprentice employed by the business. Although the entry fee  for this category is waived, entrants who choose to use the TNT freight service are encouraged to package their pies with their employers entry.

All entrants will receive an Electronic Entry Kit containing tips for the competition and a free EOI promotional set.

Click here to read tips from Chief Judge Mike French.

2022 Winner Tom Lindsay Pepper Steak Pie Award

The Tom Lindsay Pepper Steak Pie Award

A mince or chunky beef pie that must include pepper spices. Awarded to the highest scoring pepper steak pie from the Gourmet Red Meat Category.

Sponsored by Simple Simon

The John Ross Innovation Award

Awarded to the most innovative pie or sausage roll across all categories.

Sponsored by Simple Simon

Manufacturing Category

Manufacturing will include 3 sub-categories: Plain Pie, Plain Sausage Roll & Gourmet Pie (which includes the current 11 gourmet categories).


This category is for mass produced pie & sausage roll manufacturers that make their products on mechanically constructed lines (as an average of 30,000 pies or 30,000 sausage rolls per week).


Entries are not allowed to be made by hand or show any brand identification.

At the end of the Competition, 3 overall winners will be announced for this category.

Sponsored by Simple Simon