Scotland's 'World Scotch Pie Champion' crowned at prestigious awards
The winners of the 2025 World Championship Scotch Pie Awards have been announced.
Scotland's best Scotch pie has been named as part of a prestigious award ceremony. An Inverclyde butchers took home the top prize at the World Championship Scotch Pie Awards.
On Saturday, May 10, the World Championship Scotch Pie Awards were held at the Hilton Glasgow. The awards recognise the best of the best from more than 500 entries submitted by the top bakers, butchers, and pie makers across Scotland.
The coveted World Scotch Pie Champion 2025 award went to James Pirie and Son of Wemyss Bay. The first runner-up for the gong was WF Stark in Buckhaven.
According to the judges, a Scotch Pie must consist of a machine-raised, automatic or manual round shell of pie pastry. Ingredients for the filling must feature minced beef, lamb, mutton or a combination, with the addition of seasoning, rusk, stock, or water.
In addition to being crowned World Scotch Pie Champion 2025, James Pirie and Son took home another top prize at the World Championship Scotch Pie Awards. The butchers also received a Gold award for their family -sized steak pie.
Chief Executive of Scottish Bakers Lesley Cameron commented: "This year marks a significant milestone as we celebrate 25 years of the World Championship Scotch Pie Awards. It's a true testament to the passion, skill, and dedication of our butchers, bakers, and pie makers who continue to set the standard for quality and innovation in our industry.
"Our winners should be incredibly proud—to stand out in such a fiercely competitive field is an outstanding achievement. We're delighted to celebrate Scotland's pie makers, our 'Pieoneers', who keep our rich culinary heritage alive while pushing the craft forward."
Scottish Bakers is the association supporting Scotland's bakery trade. It organises the competition to showcase the skills behind the nation's much-loved pies.
Presenting the awards to the winners, Carol Smillie stated: "I am always thrilled to be part of the World Championship Scotch Pie Awards, celebrating the incredible talent and dedication of Scotland's butchers, bakers and pie makers.
"Every year, I am amazed by the passion and craftsmanship that goes into creating these delicious pies, and it's fantastic to see both familiar faces and exciting new talent taking part. The high standard of entries proves that the industry continues to thrive, with more professionals than ever showcasing their skills.
"Congratulations to all of this year's winners, your hard work and commitment to quality truly deserve to be recognised."
The 2025 World Championship Scotch Pie Awards were officially launched at Hampden Park, with football legend Kris Boyd kicking off the countdown. It also saw the introduction of Scottish Bakers' 'Pieoneers' campaign, celebrating 25 years of craftsmanship, innovation, and dedication in Scotland's thriving pie industry.
This year's World Championship Scotch Pie Awards saw more than 539 products entered by 88 companies from butchers, bakers, and pie makers across Scotland. The competition consisted of an "intense judging day", during which 50 expert judges assessed entries for taste, appearance, and smell.
Other categories at the World Championship Scotch Pie Awards included Macaroni Pie and Sausage Roll. The top prize for the former was awarded to D.G Lindsay and Son in Perth, while David Stein Butchers in Bathgate won the Sausage Roll award.
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