{"id":779529,"date":"2026-07-05T00:05:13","date_gmt":"2026-07-05T00:05:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/779529\/"},"modified":"2026-07-05T00:05:13","modified_gmt":"2026-07-05T00:05:13","slug":"ferguson-plarres-bakehouse-the-treat-that-sells-every-30-seconds-at-victorias-best-bakery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/779529\/","title":{"rendered":"Ferguson Plarre\u2019s Bakehouse: The treat that sells every 30 seconds at \u2018Victoria\u2019s best bakery\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ferguson\u00a0Plarre\u2019s Bakehouse sells 153,000 baked goods<\/a> every week across Victoria, but there\u2019s one item that really does the heavy lifting numbers-wise: the classic sausage roll.<\/p>\n

Over 25,500 are sold by the bakery chain a week, an average of one roughly every 30 seconds, making it the biggest seller<\/a> by far. Next is the iconic \u2018Tiddly Oggie\u2019 pastie at over 8,800 sold, then the beef pies<\/a> at 8,300 \u2013 and approximately 6,000 party pies<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Victoria’s beloved Ferguson Plarre\u2019s Bakehouse sells 153,000 products baked every week.\u00a0Ferguson Plarre’s Bakehouse<\/p>\n

When it comes to sweet treats<\/a>, the vanilla slice is the biggest seller, with over 4,200 sold each week, followed by traditional custard tarts and chocolate \u00e9clairs.<\/p>\n

In fact, the bakery chain is credited with introducing Australia<\/a> to the iconic French baked good when Otto Plarre opened the first location in Moonee Ponds, Melbourne in 1901.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are still very popular. We make them more efficiently than in the early days,\u201d Ralph Plarre tells nine.com.au.<\/p>\n

Originally, every step of the baking, filling and decorating process was done by hand.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s still labour-intensive,\u201d he stressed. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe employ hundreds of people in the bakery and in distribution, and we use all Aussie ingredients. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe use thousands of tonnes of Aussie beef, flour, butter, cream, and cream … we get chocolate in, about four or five tonne in tankers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ferguson Plarre\u2019s Bakehouse, which is celebrating 125 years of operation, now operates 86 locations across the state of Victoria. Four generations of the Plarre family work there, including grandparents, parents, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.<\/p>\n

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The bakery chain is a family business. Pictured from left: Mike, Ralph and Steve Plarre.\u00a0Supplied<\/p>\n

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It is credited with introducing Australia to the chocolate \u00e9clair. \u00a0Ferguson Plarre\u2019s Bakehouse<\/p>\n

Ralph, the grandson of Otto Plarre and a third-generation baker, ran the business for more than 45 years before handing over operations to his children Mike and Steve.<\/p>\n

During his many years running the business, Ralph has seen many trends come and go.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe saw the pavlova trend in the 1970s when everyone had to have a pavlova when they went to a party. Then the mud cakes came in.\u201d<\/p>\n

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He has seen multiple trends come and go.\u00a0Ferguson Plarre’s Bakehouse<\/p>\n

He also recalled the 1980s, when demand for low-fat low-sugar baked goods surged \u2013 and the customers who were surprised they didn\u2019t taste great.<\/p>\n

These days, the focus is on indulgent, delicious, savoury and sweet treats, including donuts, which surged in popularity after Krispy Kreme arrived in Australia.<\/p>\n

Not all products remain on the roster. Cream puffs came and went, as did Ralph\u2019s experiment with the legendary Lindy\u2019s Cheesecake, a cake he learned in the US which is made with rich cream, citrus zest and a biscuit-dough crust.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was so disappointed that I didn\u2019t really think that through,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The bakery\u2019s \u2018Tiggly Oggie\u2019 pastie has spanned the test of time, thanks in part to its constantly-changing fillings. Over the years these have included every kind of protein, including Ralph\u2019s mother-in-law\u2019s tuna casserole.<\/p>\n

Lamingtons are another winner, coming in original, jam-filled and cream-filled varieties.<\/p>\n

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This year Ferguson Plarre’s Bakehouse is marking 125 years of operation.\u00a0Supplied<\/p>\n

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Their core business principles remain the same.\u00a0Supplied<\/p>\n

This year, as the business celebrates 125 years of operation, their core principles remain the same.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s still very much a family business, and we are very proud of the fact our ingredients, our people and our customer values are the same as when Otto started it. All those standards still apply,\u201d Ralph said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnother thing I love with our bakery is we don\u2019t necessarily have to have the products be identical. I call it \u2018perfect imperfection\u2019, which happens when the product is hand made.\u201d<\/p>\n