• Australian meat pie brand Four ‘N Twenty will be releasing a plant-based pie in 2020.
• While some social media users embraced the move, others commented it was “ruining” the company.
• Four ‘N Twenty fired back at naysayers with hilarious clapbacks on Instagram.
• Visit Business Insider Australia’s homepage for more stories.

Footy games are in for a plant-based treat.

Beloved Aussie meat pie brand Four ‘N Twenty stunned fans around the country when it announced its new plant-based meat pie this week.

It’s the company’s first ever meat-free pie and will be hitting supermarket shelves in March 2020. Four ‘N Twenty told Business Insider Australia in an email it will be available in Coles during March before going to the likes of Woolies, BP and even the MCG from April.

The pie is made with ingredients including plant protein mince (which has soy protein in it), wheat and water. It is designed for “all pie lovers”, Four ‘N Twenty told Business Insider Australia via email.

“We recognise that more Australians are substituting meat with plant-based foods in their diet,” Anand Surujpal, General Manager of Marketing and Innovation at parent company, Patties Foods, said in a statement.” Our research found that 53% of consumers are reducing or eliminating meat from their diet, so it made sense to create Four’N Twenty’s first ever Meat Free pie for those on a plant-based diet. The ingredients within our new Meat Free pies contain no animal products.”

While the pie doesn’t contain any animal products, it isn’t vegan-friendly. In a Facebook post, the company said it is made on a line that also makes non-vegan products.

While some social media users praised the company for releasing the plant-based pie, others weren’t so impressed, claiming Four N Twenty “ruined” an icon.

But Four ‘N Twenty wasn’t here for it. The company’s social media team was quick to fire back at negative comments directed at the pie in hilarious fashion.

This Insta user called out the company for supposedly ruining an icon, complete with a typo. Four ‘N Twenty schooled them over their spelling error and stated that it didn’t ruin anything.

The same user went on to suggest Four ‘N Twenty shouldn’t “pander to such a small minority of Australians”.

Another user claimed Four ‘N Twenty was “ruining” the company. However, the company replied with a bit of love at the end.

One Instagrammer simply put a trio of ‘sick’ emoji, but Four ‘N Twenty didn’t bat an eye.

The replies also happened on Facebook, with Four ‘N Twenty replying to yet another person who seemed outraged by the plant-based pie.

We’re just waiting to see how people really react to the pies once they are released.

READ MORE:

This is where to buy plant-based fast food in Australia – from Lord of the Fries to Domino’s

A new plant-based meat company has launched in Australia, backed by Atlassian’s co-founder Mike-Cannon Brookes

Follow Business Insider Australia on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.