IKEA launches FREE tasty treats for shoppers: 'How does nobody know about this, it's huge!'
IKEA is giving Aussies the ultimate reason to visit their nearest store this weekend - a free limited-edition Meatball Party Pie, combining two beloved icons: the Aussie party pie and the Swedish meatball.
To celebrate 50 years in Australia, IKEA is serving the pies free to customers in all 10 stores nationwide this Saturday, 31 May.
The special creation is available to all IKEA Family members, and those who aren't can sign up for free online or through the IKEA app.
The Meatball Party Pie is a nostalgic mash-up of cultures, featuring the traditional IKEA Swedish meatball and gravy inside golden flaky pastry, topped with a dollop of Swedish lingonberry jam.
For plant-based foodies, IKEA has also created a version using its popular plant balls.
Alongside the party pies, the store is also slashing hot dog prices to just 50 cents on Saturday 31 May and Sunday 1 June.
It's all part of a four-day birthday celebration running from Friday 30 May to Monday 2 June, which also includes giveaways, limited-edition launches, and 50% off the iconic POÄNG armchair for IKEA Family members.
Since arriving in 1975, IKEA has become a staple of Australian life, not just for flat-packed furniture, but for its unique in-store food experience.
Whether it's a cinnamon bun mid-shop, a quick bite at the Swedish Restaurant, or a hot dog on the way out, food has become part of the ritual.
In fact, over half of Aussies have eaten at IKEA, with the meatballs selling more than 3million plates in Australia last year alone.
'Australians have embraced our food as much as our high quality, affordable home furnishings in the last 50 years,' said Tim Prevade, IKEA Australia's Country Food Manager.
'The Meatball Party Pie is a fun, flavour-packed way to celebrate that. We've taken the comfort of a classic Aussie party pie and combined it with the unmistakeable flavour of our iconic Swedish meatballs - creating something unexpected and nostalgic, with a unique twinkle-in-the-eye that can only be IKEA.'
The pies were developed in partnership with Loftus Pies, a long-time local IKEA supplier based in Sydney's Sutherland Shire.
'We were so excited when IKEA Australia first approached us with this idea,' said John Tsoutsas, Chief Pie Officer at Loftus Pies.
'Australians are very particular about their pies, but we can't wait for people to taste them. We're convinced customers are going to want them on the menu, even after the party is over.'
For millions of Australians, IKEA is more than just a place to buy shelves - it's a place to eat, explore, and share a moment with family or friends.
And now, it's serving up a pie that's as cheeky, comforting and unmistakably Aussie as the shoppers it thanks.
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