To claim the prestigious title of Australia’s 2026 Official Grand Champion, contenders must secure victory in at least two of the five overall categories: they include Overall Plain Meat Pie, Overall Plain Sausage Roll, Overall Gourmet Pie, Overall Gourmet Sausage Roll & Pastie.
Prize info will be announced soon…
This page tells you everything you need to know about the Official Great Aussie Pie Competition categories, major titles, and awards.
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.
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.
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.
One entry per establishment, using a meat Pastie recipe.
This title is awarded to the highest overall scoring Pastie.
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.
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.
Game
Venison, Goat, Rabbit, Crocodile, Kangaroo, etc.
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.
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
Brekkie
Sweet or savoury recipes can be entered e.g., Bacon and Egg or Muesli and Fruit.
Sponsored by EOI
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.
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
Awarded to the most innovative pie or sausage roll across all categories.
Sponsored by Simple Simon
Manufacturing will include 3 sub-categories: Plain Pie, Plain Sausage Roll & Gourmet Pie (which includes the current 11 gourmet categories).
This category is for large manufacturers of pie & sausage rolls.
Pies must be made on mechanically constructed lines & sausage rolls can be made on mechanically constructed lines or with the use of a pump filler
(as an average of 15,000 pies or 15,000 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 & Puratos
