It's hard for Kiwis to go past a hot pie.
Known for being an easy and cheap meal, it's been filling the bellies of tradies, students and those nursing a headache for many years.
However, according to figures from Statistics New Zealand, the average price for a pie has risen from $2 to $5 in the past decade.
A young workman who grabbed two pies on his lunch break in Auckland said it cost him $15.
"Pretty ridiculous if you ask me."
But within that decade, the "artisan" pie has become increasingly popular, with flavours moving on from a simple steak and cheese to more decadent ingredients such as slow cooked wagyu beef, and a large selection of vegan options.
The well known New Zealand Pie Awards have also been a platform for the creation of expensive and top shelf pies across the country.
Jason Hay of Richoux Patisserie in Ellerslie, Auckland, is one of these experimental bakers, with many pie medals on his shelf. He says it's not the unique ingredients that are hiking up prices, but rather increased costs which bakers are taking on.
"We've never seen inflation like this before."
Baking New Zealand says bakers have seen the cost of food, freight and labour all increase since the start of the year. For example, since March 2022, a 25kg box of butter has risen $90.
Not wanting to lose consumers who expect a low-priced good, bakers have been taking on the increased costs.
"Prices are lifting, but maybe not as high as they need too," says head of the association Bernie Sugrue.
Most bakers enter their career after five years of training, according to Surgue. Now that pies have become more artisan, bakers are on their feet for long period of time, hand crafting their products.
Now with inflationary costs, the pie makers aren't reaping the fruits of their labour.
"It's hard because we need to pay everyone, happily as well," says Hay.
"We work very hard. 12 hours a day. It's not easy."
Luckily, some New Zealanders don't mind forking out an extra dollar or two for a high quality pie. A young man outside Richoux Patisserie calling the meal a "luxury item" and "worth every dollar".
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