Butcher family business spices up its scotch pies

For most people, Christmas is over, presents have been given and received, the traditional mince pies long eaten, and January blues have set in. But one Scottish family business will likely still be in good spirits, thanks to its now-famous Scotch pies.

John G Renicks, a butcher shop in Galloway in south-western Scotland, has been crowned the World Scotch Pie Champion at the 13-year-old annual competition, fighting off almost 90 other rivals.

The award will likely boost sales at the family-owned business, which currently sells around 150 scotch pies – small, double-crust pies filled with meat – a week. Run by Iain Renick, his brother James and mother Ellen, the Dumfriesshire-based shop won the award for the first time since the launch of the competition.

“I used Galloway beef in our pies and I added more seasoning this time. I’d worked out that the judges like a little extra spice to the mixture,” Iain said.

This isn’t the first time the Renick family has hit headlines. They rose to fame in April last year, when the business spiced up the royal wedding between Kate Middleton and Prince William by supplying Union Jack-themed sausages.

John G Renicks was founded 25 years ago by Iain’s late father John.