In an IKEA-first, the furniture retailer served up meatball party pies celebrating 50 years in Australia.
Combining the beloved Aussie meat pie and IKEA’s iconic meatballs, the limited-edition meatball party pie was available in all 10 IKEA stores across the country on Saturday 31 May.
“Australians have embraced our food as much as our high quality, affordable home furnishings in the last 50 years,” says Tim Prevade, country food manager for IKEA Australia.
“Fifty-four per cent of Aussies have eaten at IKEA at some point in their lives with a trip to the Swedish restaurant for a plate of meatballs or plant balls, a mid-shop cinnamon bun or hot dog at the bistro on the way out to the carpark as part of the IKEA shopping experience that Aussies hold dear.”
First served to customers in 1985, the IKEA meatball is one of the highest selling IKEA items each year across the world and is hugely popular down under, with three million plates of meatballs sold at IKEA Australia last year.
“The meatball pie is certainly not something we’ve done before, so we spent time with the IKEA food team perfecting the recipe for the right amount of meatball to gravy to pastry, so the textures and flavours combined in just the right way.
“We’re convinced customers are going to want them on the menu, even after the party is over,” Prevade enthuses.
To mark 50 years in Australia, IKEA threw its biggest celebration yet with exclusive offers, limited-edition launches and in-store fun across four days (31 May to 2 June).
