IKEA Marks 50 Years In Australia With The Meatball Party Pie

IKEA is celebrating 50 years in Australia with the creation of the ultimate snack, the Meatball Party Pie; a nostalgic, limited-edition mash-up of two cultural icons - the beloved Aussie party pie and the IKEA Swedish meatball.

Available free for customers in all 10 IKEA stores nationwide on Saturday May 31st, the Meatball Party Pie is a small way to say a big thank you to the millions of Australians who have welcomed the brand into their homes since 1975.

The IKEA Meatball Party Pie is filled with the delicious ingredients of the traditional IKEA meatball, mixed with a tasty gravy sauce, inside a perfectly golden and flaky crust pastry, and topped with a dollop of Swedish lingonberry jam. A plant-based option made with the IKEA plant ball will also be on offer.

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. Another fan favourite is also getting in on the party celebrations with IKEA Hotdogs just 50c on Saturday May 31 and Sunday June 1.

“Australians have embraced our food as much as our high quality, affordable home furnishings in the last 50 years. 54% 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 part of the IKEA shopping experience that Aussies hold dear” said Tim Prevade, country food manager for IKEA Australia.

“The Meatball Party Pie is a fun, flavour-packed way to celebrate that. We’ve taken the comfort of a classic Aussie party pie and combined it with the unmistakeable flavour of our iconic Swedish meatballs; creating something unexpected and nostalgic, with a unique twinkle-in-the-eye that can only be IKEA.”

Both the Meatball and Plantball Party Pies were created in partnership with an existing local IKEA supplier, Loftus Pies, based in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire.

“We were so excited when IKEA Australia first approached us with this idea and the creation process has been a remarkable experience for us, especially with the level of secrecy involved”, said John Tsoutsas, chief pie officer, Loftus Pies.

“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. Australians are very particular about their pies, but we can’t wait for people to taste them! We’re convinced customers are going to want them on the menu, even after the party is over.”

Visitors to IKEA can try the limited-edition Meatball Party Pie by showing their IKEA Family membership in-store on Saturday May 31, while stocks last. Customers who are not already members can sign up to IKEA Family for free online through the IKEA website or via the IKEA app.

To mark 50 Years in Australia, IKEA is throwing its biggest celebration yet -- with exclusive offers, limited-edition launches and in-store fun across the four day weekend, starting from Friday May 30th, right until Monday June 2nd.

Alongside the Meatball Party Pie, customers can enjoy:

• 50% off the iconic POÄNG armchair (IKEA family members, in-store and online from 12:00am Thursday 29 May to 11:59pm on Monday 2 June.)
• 50c hot dogs for customers on Saturday 31 May and Sunday 1 June
• Other in-store giveaways and activities for IKEA family members