Table Talk Pies expands to Canada with purchase of bankrupt pie manufacturer

Worcesters Table Talk Pies will soon be baking its pies in Canada.

The popular pie company recently acquired Ptisserie Gaudet in Acton Vale, a town in southcentral Qubec. The 70-year-old pie manufacturing company, which owned two facilities in Canada, declared bankruptcy for nearly $24 million on Aug. 4.

Table Talk Pies Director Cliff Rucker said the company hopes to have the facility reopened sometime in 2023 to start manufacturing 4-inch and 8-inch pies.

Our goal, ultimately, is to grow our Table Talk brand in Canada and to be a valued and trusted Canadian business providing pies to Canadian customers, Rucker said.

Business, overall, is continuing to go well for Table Talk, Rucker said. In August, Rucker spoke with MassLive at length about how an investment from himself and local businessmen Anthony Consigli, Matt Consigli and Jim Chacharone helped save the company from a financial collapse.Read more: Table Talk Pie Store moving to temporary Green Street location

Table Talk Pies almost didnt make it, president and CEO Harry Kokkinis, whose grandfather started the business, told MassLive at the time.

Kokkinis said that Gaudets reality could have been the same for Table Talk Pies had the company not been offered the financial lifeline from Rucker and other investors.

That reality is not lost on Rucker, who said he thinks the fact that Table Talk bought Gaudets assets after its bankruptcy gives Table Talk a particular empathy for the situation.Read more: Affordable housing at former Table Talk Pies site now under construction in Worcesters Canal District

Now, four months later, with the Gaudet acquisition, Table Talk is growing its manufacturing footprint across North America, albeit while the country still faces issues of inflation and supply chain challenges.

There are still logistical challenges. But the good news is pies are an affordable treat for people, particularly the smaller pies, said Rucker. So, I think in general, we feel very blessed compared to a lot of manufacturers right now that are really, really struggling because of inflation and softer demand.

Demand for pies has been strong, said Rucker.

I think the acquisition of these assets is an extraordinary turnaround quite honestly, he said.