How a Lancashire pie firm chose its chief taster and took a risky bet against UK's favourite bakers Greggs
A Lancashire pie firm placed a risky bet that Greggs superfans could be won over by their products.
Holland’s Pies in Rising Bridge was inundated with hundreds of hopeful applicants when the chief taster role opened, with Nina Gilligan, a comedian from Lancashire, being chosen by the firm to take on the challenge of a "pastry debate" against a Greggs superfan.
Applicants for the role were required to share a clever line on why they were the perfect candidate and the ultimate pastry lover to be considered. The gauntlet was thrown down to Greggs superfans and pastry aficionados, alongside Holland’s Pies lovers, as the brand launched an exciting new series of pastry products to directly rival Greggs.
READ MORE: Happy couple say 'pie do' with wedding cake made of Holland's Pies
Those that caught the attention of judges were then invited for interview, before the selected pastry superfans participated in a "pre-heated debate" where they had the chance to compare Holland’s new offerings which include Sausage Rolls, Steak Bakes and Bacon and Cheese Wraps against Greggs’ classics.
Nina was selected for the debate after telling judges she comes from a family with “pastry in their DNA”, priding herself on “having a strong foundation, being finely engineered, never caving under stress and not giving up under pressure while always keeping hot until the final bite”.
Meanwhile, North East comic Barry Dodds was chosen after revealing his grandfather worked in the original Greggs bakery while explaining how he “liked pastries like himself, northern and no-nonsense”. During the debate, not only did both participants sample the puffs and pastries, including the new Three Cheese Wraps, Sausage and Cheese Wraps and Sausage Rolls from Holland’s Pies, but they also competed to win bragging rights and a pastry taster job in the ultimate North West vs North East showdown.
The debate
Barry kicked off proceedings attempting to put Nina on the backfoot, telling her: “This is more than just pastry, it’s more than just pies, it’s more than a Steak Bake. My grandad worked in the original Greggs in Gosforth, he was the OG, pies and pastries are literally in my blood.
“It’s part of my family and childhood, it was a go to snack. It’s easy and always there for you.
“It’s very Geordie and very North East.” However, undeterred Nina quipped back: “You might have one grandad, but the whole of Lancashire is connected to Holland’s and I’d bet someone out of every family has worked or is connected to them in some way.
“Chippy teas were a staple of everyone’s childhood, bringing home a Holland’s Pie to share, it is a meal to share and bond over whereas as you said, Greggs is a snack. The history behind Holland’s, standing in the terraces watching football with pie, it always being hot. It’s a real culture.”
Barry, who during the taste test preferred Holland’s Sausage Roll to his beloved Greggs, conceded to this argument that Geordie’s “don’t have this romantic relationship with Greggs” and admitted he’d been “exposed to seeing what they could have had” but continued to say the pastry giants have always been there for him.
Emboldened, Nina continued: “Pastry is a feat of engineering, it’s engineering in food form, it’s got a job to do, it’s not only about taste, it’s about structure, it must make its way to the end of the filling and not let you down. It has to get you to the end. There’s a lot of pressure on pastry.
“If it’s shortcrust I want it to do its job and have good structure and filling, if it’s flaky it has to flake. Pastry has history and that’s what Holland’s are good at – they’ve been there since the start.
“They know pastry, these people are pastry experts, they know the job pastry has to do, they understand the filling the pastry has got to hold, they know the physics of pastry. I could talk all day about pastry. Vote pastry.”
The winner
When she’s not devouring pastries, debate winner Nina spends her time on stage entertaining crowds as a respected comedian. Learning about her new role, she added: “I’m so excited to become Holland’s Pies Pastry Taster!
“The debate was so much fun, especially telling a Greggs superfan why Holland’s was superior. Not only does it run in our blood, but the heritage and place it has on family tables across the North West makes it a truly special brand.
“Of course, Greggs’ products are well-known for their taste, but Holland’s has created something that competes and in several cases came out as a clear winner. My tastebuds are ready to be put to the test in pursuit of perfecting more pastries for Holland’s – I’m looking forward to it.”
What does Holland's say?
Leanne Holcroft, Senior Brand Manager at Holland’s Pies, said: “Our new range of pastries has gone down a storm with shoppers across Tesco, Iceland and FarmFoods.
“People are clearly enjoying the true taste of pastry from the heart of Lancashire in the North West and our mission to prove that Holland’s Pies can compete and even win out against some well-loved Greggs classics has been a stunning success. We have been baking pies and pastries for more than 170 years and are known for our great value, delicious taste and are known as the best-loved pie brand so we wanted to continue giving customers the very best products.
“That’s why we decided to launch the search to fill our new Pastry Taster role. Congratulations to Nina on winning the debate, we can’t wait to work with her in future and are confident she will help us continue to deliver.”
Which is best Greggs or Holland's? Let us know in the comments below.