UK | Christmas is a time for indulging in the foods you love, and few are better than the beloved mince pie.
Morrisons proudly declared a new festive tradition with the launch of National Mince Pie Day on Saturday, the 22nd of November, and invited customers in-store to celebrate.
50,000 of Morrisons' Rich & Fruity mince pies were given away for free across selected stores to mark the moment and delight shoppers (gluten-free options also available).
The Morrisons team of expert bakers around the country freshly bake over 20,000,000 each year at their bakery counters to meet demand and ensure no one goes without, with almost half of those bought in December alone, equating to over 12,000 pies an hour.
The moment launches as new research reveals that almost half of Brits consider the humble mince pie the official taste of Christmas, ranking it number two, only behind roast turkey.
On average, Brits scoff six mince pies throughout December, with around one in seven eating 11 or more, which is about one every other day.
The research also showed that Manchester residents will eat more mince pies this Christmas than anyone else in the country.
Mince pies have been a festive favourite in Britain since the Middle Ages; however, pies looked and tasted very different back then. Historically, pies were enormous, and a recipe from the Victorian period called for 640 pounds of currants and raisins, 200 pounds of sugar, two pounds of ginger, 350 pounds of suet, and 72 bottles of brandy.
They were also eaten year-round but reserved for celebration days, given the expensive ingredients. Oliver Cromwell banned mince pies because he thought they were too lavish and that people were being far too indulgent at Christmas time, but luckily, that hasn't stuck around, and customers can enjoy as many treats as they feel is right this Christmas.
"We wanted to give the nation a reason to smile and celebrate one of our most-loved festive bakes, and we’ve done just that by launching National Mince Pie Day and giving away 50,000 pies," said Mark Richmond, Head Chef at Morrisons.
"Having hundreds of expert bakers working hard all year round to prepare millions of pies across the UK and a variety available for all taste buds, makes us best placed to celebrate the mince pie. National Mince Pie Day will help spread a little early Christmas cheer and make sure everyone can enjoy a taste of the season, on us."
More global news here
