Schwan Food Co. Hopes to Butter Consumers Up with Pumpkin Pie

Dec. 9, 2013
The makers of Mrs. Smith's Pies want to help consumers fill their homes with fresh-baked aromas with a new line of flaky crust pies.

Buttering things up can make everything better, whether you're talking people or pies, according to Schwan's Consumer Brands Inc., the retail grocery subsidiary of The Schwan Food Co., Bloomington, Minn. As the makers of Mrs. Smith's, the company conducted a survey called the "The Butter Up Report," which reveals nearly six in 10 Americans admit they would do something to butter someone up for the holiday season, primarily to spread holiday cheer or set a good example for others. And more than three in four people (77 percent) say they have buttered someone up by being extra nice before asking for something. So the company decided to butter up its customers with the introduction of Mrs. Smith's Original Flaky Crust, an unbaked pie made with real butter for a perfectly flaky crust that consumers won't be able to resist.

"During the holidays, families want beautifully prepared, delicious fruit pies that fill the house with fresh-baked aromas. Our new line of pies will deliver that experience and more," says Susan Allen, senior director for brand management. "Our new crust recipe, which includes real butter, will deliver a flaky crust unlike anything on the market today. As our survey shows, giving a pie is a sure way to butter someone up."

The new line comes in six varieties: Apple, Cherry, Dutch Apple, Peach, Pumpkin and Sweet Potato. The suggested retail price for a frozen 27-oz. pie is $6.99.