Country Style Pies joined us at the Saturday markets in January 2013, soon after starting up in November, 2012.
So why pie? Founder Jeannie always wanted to work with food, and when visiting her husband’s U.S. family a few years back, Jeannie experienced the tasty pies that his mother made using his grandmother’s recipe.
With the help of her grandmother-in-law’s fantastic pie recipes and her mother in law’s impressive pie-making skills, Jeannie learnt the art of making great pie. Both Jeannie and husband Kyle were inspired to set up a pie business here in Shanghai where they saw a market need for delicious home-cooked pie.
Jeannie and Kyle change the pies they sell throughout the year to take advantage of what fresh ingredients are in season. For July, a peach pie is available. October to December, we can look forward to a sweet potato and pumpkin pie – perfect for Thanksgiving celebrations – and a special November-only pecan pie.
Any Challenges?
They’ve found that their pies are most popular in the winter months with thanksgiving and the lead up to Christmas, and tend to be most popular with the expat community. This can be a challenge during the warmer months, as pies are not as easy to sell.
Benefits of the Saturday Markets?
Jeannie says: “The markets are great because everyone helps each other out and it’s a really fun and friendly atmosphere. It means we can build relationships with customers, and allows people to taste and get to know our products. The uniqueness of the markets keeps people interested and definitely helps our business.”
So if you’re looking for tasty, authentic pie, be sure to head down to the Yanping or Jiashan market!
Jeannie and Kyle at Yanping!