Couple earn a crust with their hearty family pies
Business is heating up as Ō tāne bakers put fresh flavours within reach of households
Some like pies with mince and cheese, others bacon and egg, and some even plump for butter chicken, but Travis Henry, from Henry’s Family Pies likes them family-sized.
The pie maker and his wife, Jasmine Henry, bought McCauley’s Store & Cafe on Higginson St in Ōtāne in Central Hawke’s Bay and opened Henry’s Family Pies on February 9.
It had been a long time coming for the couple after three years of going to the Ō tāne Market and the Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Market selling their homemade pies.
He said it had been hectic since opening, with their $20 to $25 family pies extremely popular.
“It was a no-brainer to dive at it. I needed the kitchen because I just made them out of BJ’s Bakery at night in Hastings.”
The couple took over the building five months ago and had been hard at work with renovations.
“I did have a sign saying coming soon and it was the longest ‘coming soon’ ever,” he said.
The store also sells regular-sized pies, a selection of bakery goods and cabinet food.
“It’s gone from zero to 100 with just frozen family pies to an actual fullblown bakery, cafe and a store.”
The family pies come in 14 flavours with homemade French-style pastry and instructions on how to cook them at home.
“The most popular? There would be two of them — steak and caramelised onion, and a steak and creamy mushroom.”
Henry said his pies have a high meat ratio. The product is sourced from Hawke’s Bay growers, which was important to the family.
“Every time I have gone to bakeries you see the price climbing but the quality dropping.”
His offerings include all the favourites, plus a curry sausage potato top and a buffalo chicken option.
The bakery and cafe are open from 6am to 4pm Tuesday to Friday, and 8am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday.