Buddy Bakery, located in Melton, west of Melbourne, has been awarded the title of Australia's best plain meat pie at the 37th annual Official Great Aussie Pie Competition.
After four days of judging and evaluating 1,821 entries from across the country, Buddy Bakery's chunky mince pie was selected by the panel. The competition, held at the Melbourne Convention Centre, saw over 250 bakeries and, for the first time, butchers submit their creations. Entries were so numerous that organizers closed submissions early for the first time in the event's history.
While Victoria saw success in the traditional pie category, South Australia's Orange Spot Bakery, based in Glenelg, achieved the competition's Overall Winner status. Orange Spot Bakery triumphed in both the Plain Sausage Roll and Meat Pastie categories.
Other notable winners included Rolling Pin Cakes & Pies from Ocean Grove, Victoria, which won Overall Gourmet Pie for its Roo Rendang Pie. Paul the Pieman Bakery in Inverloch, Victoria, took home the Overall Gourmet Sausage Roll award for its Jalapeno Beef & Cheese Sausage Roll.
The Official Great Aussie Pie Competition has been held annually since 1989, celebrating a popular bakery staple. Organizers noted that winning can significantly boost business, with past champions experiencing substantial increases in demand as customers travel to taste their award-winning products.
The full list of 2026 Overall Winners includes:
- Overall Plain Pie: Buddy Bakery, Melton, Victoria – Chunky Mince Pie
- Runner-up Overall Plain Pie: Gisborne Bakery & Café, Gisborne, Victoria – Mince Pie
- Overall Plain Sausage Roll: Orange Spot Bakery, Glenelg, South Australia
- Overall Gourmet Pie: Rolling Pin Cakes & Pies, Ocean Grove, Victoria – Roo Rendang Pie
- Overall Gourmet Sausage Roll: Paul the Pieman Bakery, Inverloch, Victoria – Jalapeno Beef & Cheese Sausage Roll
- Overall Meat Pastie: Orange Spot Bakery, Glenelg, South Australia
