Four'n Twenty facts for kids
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A Four'n Twenty Pie being eaten during an AFL match
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| Owner | Patties Foods |
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| Country | Australia |
| Introduced | 1947 |
| Markets | Australia United States Japan |
| Previous owners | Peters Ice Cream Simplot |
| Tagline | The great Australian taste |
Four'n Twenty is a super famous Australian brand. It makes yummy pastries like meat pies and sausage rolls. You can find these tasty treats in Australia and other countries too! The company that owns Four'n Twenty is called Patties Foods.
The classic Four'n Twenty pie is filled with a mix of mutton and beef. This meat is in a special spiced gravy with carrots and onions. The bottom and sides of the pie are made from a shortcrust pastry. This means it's a crumbly, buttery crust. The top crust is extra special, folded to make it a bit flaky. Besides the classic, you can also find pies with chicken and veggies, pulled pork, or even grass-fed Angus beef.
Australians eat more meat pies than anyone else in the world! Four'n Twenty pies are a big part of Australian culture. They are especially popular at football games. Many people enjoy them with tomato sauce.
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Where Did the Name Come From?
The name "Four'n Twenty" comes from an old English nursery rhyme. It's called Sing a Song of Sixpence. Part of the rhyme says, "Four and twenty blackbirds / Baked in a pie."
Some of the brand's first logos showed 24 blackbirds flying out of a pie. This was a fun way to show the connection to the rhyme. Today, the logo just has the brand name in text.
A Bite of History
The first Four'n Twenty pie was made in Bendigo, Victoria, Australia. A man named Leslie Thompson McClure created it in 1947. He first called it the Dad & Dave Pie. But an employee suggested the nursery rhyme name, and it stuck! Back then, McClure only made about 50 pies each day.
McClure took his pies to the Royal Melbourne Agricultural Show. People loved them so much! Because more and more people wanted his pies, McClure opened a bakery at the showgrounds in 1949. Later, he opened bigger factories in Ascot Vale in 1953 and then in Kensington.
In 1960, McClure sold his company to Peters Ice Cream. Over the years, the brand was sold to different companies. In 1995, Simplot bought it. Then, in 2003, Simplot sold Four'n Twenty to Patties Foods. Patties Foods made their factory in Bairnsdale much bigger. They moved all Four'n Twenty pie making there. This new factory can make an amazing 21,000 pies every hour, all day long!
Pies Around the World
Four'n Twenty pies are not just for Australia anymore! In 2006, the company announced that their pies would be sold in the American market.
On April 21, 2019, Four'n Twenty pies also arrived in Japan. They even had a special "Four'n Twenty Day" party in Tokyo to celebrate!
Four'n Twenty pies are also an official food for the Australian Olympic Team. They join other famous Australian foods like Milo, Weet-Bix, and Vegemite.
Different Kinds of Pies
In 2017, Four'n Twenty celebrated its 70th birthday! To mark the occasion, they launched a special Four'n Twenty Cheese and Vegemite Pie.
Later in 2017, they introduced something new called the "Topper." This was a crispy, breaded pocket. It came with fillings like lasagna, macaroni and cheese, or chicken cordon bleu.
In 2020, Four'n Twenty also made a vegan-friendly pie. This pie is meat-free but is said to taste and feel just like the original.
