Only have pies for you: Wakefield business hopes heart-shaped pies for St Valentine's Day with be a recipe for success

Cheesemongers and fine food merchant Cryer and Stott decided to create the heart shapes on top of its 1lb pork pies, the perfect size for sharing, to give back to the local community ready for February 14..

The company, which launched in 1998, was founded when married couple Richard and Clare Holmes, bought their first Cryer and Stott market stall in Wakefield.

Since its debut, the artisan cheese firm has catered for the London 2012 Olympics, Harvey Nichols and The British Embassy in Paris, where it supplied a seven tier cheese stack for a state visit by Queen Elizabeth II.

Despite their success, the cheese mongers continue to sell local produce in their two shops, on Station Road in Castleford and at Market Place in Pontefract.

Now, the company wants to thank the locals that helped build its empire.

Jemma Ladwitch, Business Development Manager for Cryer and Stott, said: “We sell thousands of award-winning pork pies every week so know how much customers absolutely love our pies. The idea was to say ‘’Pie Love You’’ with a cute pastry heart on the top of our 1lb pie."

The limited-edition sharing pies are available in four different flavours: Sweet Chilli & Wakefield Forced Rhubarb, Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese & Apple Sauce, Bury Black Pudding & Traditional Pork Pie and are priced at £8.50 each.

Heart-shaped pies mark the start of a busy year for the company as it celebrate its silver anniversary.

"This year is our 25th year in business and Richard our Managing Director was lucky enough to have been awarded an MBE in the King’s first New Years honours list,” she added..

"To celebrate our monumental achievement, which coincides with the King’s coronation we are creating a Royal Cheese and a Coronation Pie. We’ve spoken to Buckingham Palace and are meeting with the chefs with hope of supplying the palace with these two products.”

The heart pies are available to order at each of Cryer and Stott’s stores in Castleford and Pontefract, with the Coronation Pie set to launch this Spring.