A small bakery in the picturesque village of Orford, Suffolk, has sparked outrage by charging £25 for a box of six mince pies this Christmas.
Each pie costs an eye-watering £4.16, far pricier than offerings from higher-end retailers like Marks & Spencer and Waitrose.
Pump Street Bakery, known for its artisanal approach, defended the hefty price tag, claiming their pies are crafted with care using premium ingredients.
The bakery’s recipe includes in-house-made mincemeat featuring fresh apples from High House Farm in Woodbridge, Vostizza currants, raisins, sultanas, citrus peel, spices, and brandy.
The pies are shaped using pastel de nata moulds, giving them a unique twist.
This year’s price marks a significant increase from last December when the same mince pies were sold for £18 per box, representing a 38.8% rise.
For those opting for delivery, the total cost climbs to £33, including an £8 overnight courier fee.
The bakery has assured customers that the pies, best served warm with double cream or clotted cream, will last up to five days at room temperature or “much longer” if frozen.
However, not everyone is convinced that the luxury comes with sufficient justification and, despite their gourmet claims, Pump Street’s mince pies haven’t wowed all critics.
Time Out magazine awarded them a modest three out of five stars, describing the pastry as “too short” and lamenting its “extreme crumbliness.”
Meanwhile, a consumer panel assembled by Which? found that more affordable options, such as Waitrose’s No.1 Brown Butter Mince Pies with Cognac, provided superior value and taste.
However, Tesco’s Finest All Butter Pastry Mince Pies and Asda’s Exceptional Luxury Mince Pies failed to impress.
Consumers have expressed outrage online, with many questioning whether the luxury ingredients justify the price.
One commenter said: “At £4.16 a pie, they’d better be sprinkled with gold dust!”
The bakery, founded in 2010 by father-and-daughter team Chris and Joanna Brennan, operates out of a charming 15th-century building in Orford’s Market Square.
Its baby pink storefront has become a local landmark, but the pricing of its seasonal treats has divided opinions.
