Not even level four can stop this Ellerslie pieman

An award-winning Ellerslie bakery is not letting the level-4 lockdown slow it down.

Richoux Patisserie, on Ellerslie’s high street, is arranging home delivery of its pies in a completely contactless way.

Under Auckland's level-4 lockdown rules, a small loophole allows Kiwis access to one last takeout option - baked treats.

Bakeries, along with greengrocers, butchers, and fishmongers, are not allowed to have customers on the premises. However, they can do contactless deliveries.

That means general manager Jason Hay spends most afternoons on the road, dropping pies, sausage rolls, donuts, and even coffee to customers confined to their homes in the central suburbs.

“My family is helping me. There’s three of us who prepare the food and my daughter is at home organising the orders," Jason told TWN.

Satisfying a craving for a lovely meat pie is a complex process.

“The customer sends the money direct to our bank account. We check the bank account and if the money is there, I drive to their door. Then I call the customer [to] tell them I’m here, and I leave the food on their doorstep. They can only come and get it when I am in my vehicle."

“I deliver about 5km from the shop so I try and stay local.

“It’s nothing to do with the money. I’m happy to do it because it helps out our community and makes people happy. The Government says we’re essential so I encourage all bakeries to do it.”

The bakery picked up three medals at the 2021 Supreme Pie Awards in July.

More details on Richoux Patisserie’s delivery service can be found on its Facebook page.