The recent wet weather has caused pie sales to increase, as consumers opt for warming winter food. Poole’s Pies said it had seen an 11% year-on-year increase in its pie sales this summer, while Pieminister said sales were up 20% on its usual summer season.

Tristan Hogg, co-founder, joint MD wholesale, Pieminister, told British Baker it normally sees its wholesale business dip in the summer, with less space dedicated to its products on supermarket shelves. "This year pie sales have held up well in line with our winter figures," said Hogg. "We normally promote at this time of the year to boost sales, but this summer we haven’t needed to; sales have been up around 20%."

Neil Court-Johnston, managing director of the Wigan-based Poole’s Pies, said: "The warmer months tend to be the pie industry’s quiet period, but with Britain continuing to face one of its worst ever summers this year, sales are at an all-time high as people prefer to tuck into warm, comforting and familiar dishes."

The Cake Store UK said it had had its best ever pie sales over the summer period, while Bradley’s Bakery also said sales of its pies have been going really well, with promotions over Euro 2012 and new lines helping too.

According to Mintel, the value of the pie and pasty sector has been increasing steadily year-on-year, with sales having risen by 3.9% from 2009 (£951m) to 2012 (£988m).

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