Delicious pies, family roots and a big helping of good values — June’s trader focus could only be Pieminister.
While Pieminister may now have shops far beyond Oxford, they’re still very much an independent, family-run business, and proudly B Corp certified too. With Big Green Week beginning this Saturday and some exciting summertime news to let you know about, we caught up with Jon to find out more about the story behind Pieminister
Pieminister has been part of The Covered Market for a long time now. Can you tell us how you first came to be here, and what made the market feel like the right home for you?
Hi, I’m Jon Simon, co-founder of Pieminister. We took over the old Hedges Butcher’s site in the Covered Market back in 2008 (I’m pretty sure!) We started in Borough Market in London and St Nick’s Market in Bristol so were definitely on the hunt for more legendary foodie sites like this to sling pies to the masses! So when the opportunity came up for the space, it was a no brainer.
Pieminister is now a much-loved name across the country, but it is still an independent, family-run business. How do those roots continue to shape what you do today?
It’s still very much a family business and we’re still doing it for the love of the game. Tris (the other co-founder and my brother-in-law) and I are still at the helm, working at our head office here in Bristol with everyone, and I regularly get around to all our stores too. We still get stuck in in the kitchens and occasionally serve up the pies just like we did back in the day! Those family roots keep us honest and keep the passion alive; this still feels like something we’re building with real care, not just running.
You’re also a certified B Corp, with sustainability at the heart of the business. What does that mean in practice for Pieminister, and what are you most proud of?
For us, B Corp certification means holding ourselves to account on everything from higher-welfare, British sourcing to paying the Real Living Wage. It’s not a marketing tool, it’s how we actually run the business. What I’m most proud of is proving that doing the right thing and making pies that people absolutely love are not mutually exclusive.
Finally, is there anything exciting coming up this summer that you’d like Covered Market visitors to know about?
We’re ALWAYS dreaming up new pies and products for people to try. This summer, it’s all about quiche. It hasn’t been given the love it deserves for so long, so we’ve had a go, and I think we’ve cracked it. Poppyseed pastry, free range egg and ham, deep-filled, deli-style quiche. We’ve just launched 2 in our Oxford café and I urge you to go and try them ASAP!