The pies have it for Muirhead butchers!
Scotland’s former Butcher Of The Year secured a Gold Award and five Silver Awards for their pies and meat pastries in the Scottish Craft Butchers Savoury Pastry Products Awards 2018.
An outstanding steak and caramelised onion pie - judged among the best in Scotland - lifted a coveted Gold Award while the popular butchers’ bridies, sausage rolls, steak and sausage pie, chicken and chorizo pie and Scotch pies each brought home a Silver Award.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdDelighted owner Stewart Collins said the awards would give a great boost to the staff and the customers who would see them as an endorsement of the business’s high quality produce.
“It’s tremendous to be recognised by this national industry body and to win gold and silver awards for our products,” he said. “I know this standard of award is not given lightly and we’re really thrilled.
“Entering for awards such as this keeps us focussed and continually evaluating what we are producing which is extremely important.”
Stewart was quick, however, to pass the plaudits for this latest round of awards to the shop’s baker Kelly Carrol who develops all the pies and fillings.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdIt was Stewart’s grandfather who started the family business with a shop in Coatbridge in 1955. The company moved to their present Muirhead premises in 1979 with Stewart and brother Fraser running the operation with a staff of 25.
S Collins & Son was one of around 60 butchers from all over Scotland who collectively submitted nearly 300 different handcrafted pies, sausage rolls and bridies which were judged across six categories in one of the industry’s most keenly contested awards.
Douglas Scott, Chief Executive of Scottish Craft Butchers, said this year’s Savoury Pastry evaluation has seen a record number of entrants, reflecting the growing importance of independent assessment of butchers’ pastry products.
“The evaluation drives up standards year after year,” he said, “all to the benefit of the customer.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad“Identifying the very best is of immense importance since these are the products that pastry enthusiasts will travel big distances to source.
“Awards are not given out lightly,” added Douglas. “Every one of the butchers recognised can be rightly proud of their products and their customers can purchase with high expectations of great taste. These awards show customers just what a high standard their local butcher sets.”