Donald’s Pies Expands Tenfold in Cardiff 2026

Key Points

• Donald’s Pies, a Cardiff-born pie and coffee brand, has brought manufacturing in-house and increased production capacity tenfold
• The company secured technical support from the Welsh Government’s HELIX Programme, with assistance from Food Centre Wales and ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre
• In just 18 months, Donald’s Pies expanded into a dedicated manufacturing space and opened two permanent retail outlets
• Founded in 2024 by friends Gareth Owens and Harri Rees, the brand was inspired by Owens’ New Zealand travels and his late grandfather Donald, a passionate pie lover
• The business started as a pop-up van at Radyr Cricket Club in Cardiff before opening its first permanent pie shop on Quay Street in October 2024
• Donald’s Pies still operates weekends at Radyr Cricket Club and maintains its Quay Street store near the Principality Stadium
• The new production kitchen is located on Penarth Road in Cardiff and supports wholesale growth, venue partnerships, and collaborations like a stout-infused pie with Tiny Rebel Brewery
• The brand is running a crowdfunding campaign allowing fans to “own a piece of the pie” by investing in the company
  -ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre advised on the new facility’s layout, design, and food safety processes before production began
• Food Centre Wales supported recipe development, food safety systems, microbiological testing, and product labelling

Cardiff (Cardiff Daily) June 16, 2026 – A cult Welsh pie and coffee brand born in Cardiff has successfully brought manufacturing in-house and increased its production capacity tenfold after securing support from the Welsh Government’s HELIX Programme. Donald’s Pies has rapidly expanded into a dedicated manufacturing space and opened two permanent retail outlets in just 18 months, according to Business News Wales.

The expansion follows technical support from the Welsh Government’s HELIX Programme, with technical assistance provided by Food Centre Wales and the ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre. As reported by the reporter at Wales247, Donald’s Pies, founded by friends Gareth Owens and Harri Rees in 2024, was inspired by Gareth’s travels in New Zealand, where pie culture is well established, and by his late grandfather Donald, a passionate pie lover.

How Did Donald’s Pies Begin as a Pop-Up Van at Radyr Cricket Club?

Initially, the business launched as a pop-up from a van at Radyr Cricket Club in Cardiff before opening its first permanent pie shop in October 2024. As reported by Business News Wales, Donald’s Pies started as a side hustle in a converted van, but quickly became one of the most talked-about pop-ups in Cardiff. Parked at Radyr Cricket Club, the Donald’s van began serving hot, handmade pies to a growing crowd of dog walkers, runners, and Sunday morning regulars – many of whom still form the core of the brand’s loyal fanbase.

That early success gave Donald’s the confidence to go all in, and in October 2024, they took over a small former coffee shop on Quay Street, just a stone’s throw from the Principality Stadium. Donald Pies still operates at Radyr Cricket Club at the weekends and also from a store on Quay Street in Cardiff city centre, according to Yahoo News UK.

Why Did the Founders Choose the Name “Donald’s Pies”?

Founded by two friends and inspired by a shared love of food, grassroots sport, and travel, Donald’s Pies started as a nod to founder Gareth Owens’ travels around New Zealand, and his late, pie-loving grandad, Donald.

As reported by Business News Wales, Gareth, who previously worked in the coffee industry running two businesses before founding Donald’s, drew inspiration for the brand from time spent in New Zealand, where bakery pies are a cultural staple, and from his late grandfather Donald, after whom the company is named.

Teaming up with graphic designer Harri Owain Rees, Donald’s Pies began as a grassroots venture that quickly gained a cult following in Cardiff.

What Support Did Donald’s Pies Receive from the HELIX Programme and ZERO2FIVE?

The company received assistance with recipe development, food safety systems, microbiological testing and product labelling from Food Centre Wales, which is part of Ceredigion County Council and provides support through the Welsh Government-funded HELIX Programme.

It also used commercial manufacturing facilities at Food Centre Wales while preparing to move production in-house.

As demand for its products grew, Donald’s Pies sought a larger manufacturing base in Cardiff and was referred to Cardiff Metropolitan University’s ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre in late 2025.

The centre provided advice on the layout and design of the new facility and reviewed food safety processes ahead of production beginning at the site.

Professor Peter Sykes, head of the ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre, said the programme provides technical support to food and drink businesses. As reported by Nation Cymru, Gareth Owens said:

“The support we’ve had from the HELIX Programme has been outstanding. From bringing our pie production in-house to moving into our own larger manufacturing unit in Cardiff, the support from Food Centre Wales and ZERO2FIVE has allowed us to grow quickly and smoothly”.

Where Is Donald’s Pies’ New Production Kitchen Located and What Does It Enable?

Just a year after launching, Cardiff indie favourite Donald’s Pies has opened its first dedicated production kitchen on Penarth Road, boosting its capacity tenfold, according to a LinkedIn post.

The new hub will support wholesale growth, partnerships with venues like Barry Town RFC and the National Museum of Wales, and collaborations such as their stout-infused pie with Tiny Rebel Brewery.

The new manufacturing facility on Penarth Road enables the brand to scale beyond its two permanent retail outlets and weekend van operations.

How Can Fans Invest in Donald’s Pies Through the Crowdfunding Campaign?

Fans can even “own a piece of the pie” by investing in the company’s latest crowdfunding campaign, as noted in the LinkedIn post. This campaign allows supporters to become partial investors in the rapidly expanding Cardiff pie brand.

Background: The Development Behind Donald’s Pies’ Expansion

Donald’s Pies’ expansion is rooted in a clear sequence of developments: starting as a grassroots van pop-up at Radyr Cricket Club, gaining a loyal local fanbase, securing a permanent shop on Quay Street in October 2024, and then seeking larger manufacturing capacity as demand grew.

The brand’s growth trajectory was accelerated by technical support from the Welsh Government’s HELIX Programme, delivered through Food Centre Wales and ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre.

The HELIX Programme provides funded technical support to eligible food and drink manufacturers, covering areas such as recipe development, food safety systems, microbiological testing, and product labelling. ZERO2FIVE, based at Cardiff Metropolitan University, offers advice on facility layout, design, and food safety process reviews.

Donald’s Pies’ decision to bring production in-house and move into a dedicated manufacturing unit on Penarth Road marked a pivotal shift from small-scale pop-up operations to a scalable manufacturing business. This move increased production capacity tenfold and enabled wholesale partnerships with venues and breweries.

The brand’s name and origin story are deeply personal: founded by Gareth Owens and Harri Owain Rees, inspired by Owens’ New Zealand travels and his late grandfather Donald, a passionate pie lover.

Explore More Local Cardiff News

Principality Stadium Concerts 2026: WRU Calls Fewer Gigs a Blip; Cardiff 2026

Praxis Buys Cardiff’s £27m Morgan Quarter – Cardiff 2026

Prediction: How Will Donald’s Pies’ Expansion Affect Cardiff Consumers, Local Food Businesses, and Welsh Food Manufacturers?

Donald’s Pies’ tenfold capacity boost and in-house manufacturing will likely affect three key audiences in distinct ways.

Cardiff consumers and local pie lovers will benefit from increased product availability, more consistent quality, and potentially expanded retail or wholesale options.

The new production kitchen enables the brand to serve more customers beyond its two permanent outlets and weekend van, including partnerships with venues like Barry Town RFC and the National Museum of Wales. Consumers may also see new collaborations, such as the stout-infused pie with Tiny Rebel Brewery, become more widely available.

Local food businesses and Cardiff retail competitors may face intensified competition as Donald’s Pies scales up. The brand’s cult following, wholesale growth, and venue partnerships could shift consumer demand toward its products, Pressuring smaller pie shops or coffee retailers to differentiate their offerings. However, the brand’s success could also stimulate local food ecosystem activity, attracting more customers to Cardiff’s food scene and potentially creating opportunities for collaboration.

Welsh food and drink manufacturers participating in or eligible for the HELIX Programme may see Donald’s Pies as a tangible success story demonstrating the programme’s impact.

As reported by Nation Cymru, the company’s rapid, smooth growth was directly enabled by HELIX-supported technical assistance. This could encourage more Welsh food businesses to seek HELIX and ZERO2FIVE support for recipe development, food safety, and facility expansion, strengthening the sector’s overall capacity.

The crowdfunding campaign allowing fans to “own a piece of the pie” may also influence how local consumers engage with food brands, shifting some from passive buyers to investor-participants. This model could inspire other Welsh food businesses to explore community investment models.

Overall, Donald’s Pies’ expansion represents a scaled-up, professionally supported growth path for a grassroots Cardiff food brand, with ripple effects for consumers, competitors, and the wider Welsh food manufacturing sector.