Welsh pie specialist Peter’s is hoping to grab a slice of Pukka-Pies’ market with a new ‘posh’ pastry range that launched into more than 400 Sainsbury’s stores this week. The Premier Pie range carries an rsp of £1.35, pitching it right in Pukka’s territory price and target audience-wise. However, with its slick box packaging and emphasis on the quality of its ingredients, it presents a more premium proposition, claimed retail and technical director David Jackson.

“The new range will prove excellent value for money and shows the faith Sainsbury’s has in traditional British foods,” he said. “These are our best-ever products, baked using prime cuts of meat, classic gravies made from quality stocks and real egg glaze. We went right back to basics and focused heavily on food appearance, taste, aroma, flavour and texture to get a balance of flavours and a perfect pie.”

The range is the result of two years of planning and £100,000 investment by the company, which already has a contract with Asda for own-label savoury pastries and sells pies under the Peter’s label.

To promote the move into posh pies, the company will tour 50 key Sainsbury’s stores in a giant ‘piemobile’ for the rest of this month and October, offering samples to shoppers.The pies are available in five different flavours: Steak, Steak & Ale, Roast Chicken, Steak & Kidney and Chicken Curry flavours. All the new products are made entirely from natural ingredients and contain no artificial flavours, colours, preservatives, hydrogenated fat or monosodium glutamate.