Marlow Specialty Bakers was the only Otago company to feature in the national Bakel Supreme Pie Awards announced this week.
The South Dunedin business won bronze in the commercial-wholesale competition section.
"The secret's in the pastry. There's a real art to making a good pastry," Marlow Specialty Bakers general manager and Bakery Industry Association of New Zealand president Brendan Williams said yesterday.
"It's all in the way you fold it. Fat contains water and so you have to layer it properly so the water turns into steam. It's also about treating the pastry gently and being nice to it."
Marlow also used vegetable oil in its pastry, rather than animal fat or lard, Mr Williams said.
The company sells about 10,000 of the mince and cheese pies throughout the South Island every week.
A record 4336 entries were received for the Bakel Supreme Pie Awards this year.
"We're definitely happy to have won the bronze.
"But, we're hoping to win the gold next year," Mr Williams said.
