IKEA Taps Into 50 Years of Aussie Nostalgia to Serve Up IKEA-First, Limited-Edition Meatball Party Pie - IKEA

28 May 2025 4:04 AM

Wednesday, 28 May 2025: IKEA is celebrating 50 years in Australia with the creation of the ultimate snack, the Meatball Party Pie; a nostalgic, limited-edition mash-up of two cultural icons - the beloved Aussie party pie and the IKEA Swedish meatball.

Available free for customers in all 10 IKEA stores nationwide on Saturday 31st May, the Meatball Party Pie is a small way to say a big thank you to the millions of Australians who have welcomed the brand into their homes since 1975.

The IKEA Meatball Party Pie is filled with the delicious ingredients of the traditional IKEA meatball, mixed with a tasty gravy sauce, inside a perfectly golden and flaky crust pastry, and topped with a dollop of Swedish lingonberry jam. A plant-based option made with the IKEA plant ball will also be on offer.

First served to customers in 1985, the IKEA meatball is one of the highest selling IKEA items each year across the world, and is hugely popular down under, with 3 million plates of meatballs sold at IKEA Australia last year. Another fan favourite is also getting in on the party celebrations with IKEA Hotdogs just 50c on Saturday 31 May and Sunday 1 June.

“Australians have embraced our food as much as our high quality, affordable home furnishings in the last 50 years. 54% of Aussies have eaten at IKEA at some point in their lives1 with a trip to the Swedish Restaurant for a plate of meatballs or plant balls, a mid-shop cinnamon bun, or hot dog at the Bistro on the way out to the carpark part of the IKEA shopping experience that Aussies hold dear” said Tim Prevade, Country Food Manager for IKEA Australia. “The Meatball Party Pie is a fun, flavour-packed way to celebrate that. We’ve taken the comfort of a classic Aussie party pie and combined it with the unmistakeable flavour of our iconic Swedish meatballs; creating something unexpected and nostalgic, with a unique twinkle-in-the-eye that can only be IKEA.”

Both the Meatball and Plantball Party Pies were created in partnership with an existing local IKEA supplier, Loftus Pies, based in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire.

“We were so excited when IKEA Australia first approached us with this idea and the creation process has been a remarkable experience for us, especially with the level of secrecy involved”, said John Tsoutsas, Chief Pie Officer, Loftus Pies. “The Meatball pie is certainly not something we’ve done before, so we spent time with the IKEA food team perfecting the recipe for the right amount of meatball to gravy to pastry, so the textures and flavours combined in just the right way. Australians are very particular about their pies, but we can’t wait for people to taste them! We’re convinced customers are going to want them on the menu, even after the party is over.”

Visitors to IKEA can try the limited-edition Meatball Party Pie by showing their IKEA Family membership in-store on Saturday, May 31, while stocks last. Customers who are not already members can sign up to IKEA Family for free online through the IKEA website or via the IKEA app.

To mark 50 Years in Australia, IKEA is throwing its biggest celebration yet - with exclusive offers, limited-edition launches and in-store fun across the 4-days, starting from Friday, 30th May, right until Monday, 2nd June. 

Alongside the Meatball Party Pie, customers can enjoy: 

• 50% off the iconic POÄNG armchair (IKEA family members, in-store and online from 12:00am Thursday 29 May to 11:59pm on Monday 2 June.)
• 50c hot dogs for customers on Saturday 31 May and Sunday 1 June
• Other in-store giveaways and activities for IKEA family members

Find out more here: https://www.ikea.com/au/en/campaigns/ikea-australia-50th-anniversary-pubb0330980/

ENDS

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Additional data around Aussies’ love of IKEA food:
• Over 3 million portions of meatballs sold in Australia in the last financial year.
• Over 100 million portions of meatballs have been sold in Australia since launch.
• The restaurant meatballs are and have been historically the number one selling product every year in Australia and globally, closely followed in second place by the Swedish food market’s frozen, make-at-home HUVUDROLL meatballs 1kg bag.
• Two in three Australians (66%) agree that a visit to IKEA goes beyond mere shopping—it's an experience in itself².
• Over half (54%) of Australian adults have eaten at IKEA at some point in their lives, with meatballs being both the most commonly consumed item and the top favourite choice.

Notes to editors:
IKEA will be giving away free Meatball Party Pies in every store nationwide on Saturday 31 May (while stock lasts). Giveaway times vary, check your local store page on the IKEA website for details. All customers need to do is show their IKEA Family membership (free to join) to an IKEA co-worker in store to have a taste!

For more information, visit www.ikea.com/au/en/newsroom/ 

About IKEA:
IKEA offers well-designed, functional and affordable, high-quality home furnishing products, produced with care for people and the environment. There are several companies with different owners, working under the IKEA Brand, all sharing the same vision: to create a better everyday life for the many people. IKEA was founded in Sweden in 1943.

About Ingka Group:
With IKEA retail operations in 31 markets, Ingka Group is the largest IKEA retailer and represents about 90% of IKEA retail sales. It is a strategic partner to develop and innovate the IKEA business and help define common IKEA strategies. Ingka Group owns and operates IKEA sales channels under franchise agreements with Inter IKEA Systems B.V. It has three business areas: IKEA Retail, Ingka Investments and Ingka Centres. Read more on ingka.com

Research was commissioned by IKEA Australia and conducted online during April 2025 by Decibel Research, an independent market research services provider. The sample comprised of a nationally representative sample of 1,000 Australians, aged 18 years+. Decibel designed the questionnaire. Following the completion of interviewing, the data was weighted by age, gender and region to reflect the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics population estimates.

1 Refers to question ‘Have you ever eaten at IKEA’ to which 54% of respondents answered ‘yes’ and question ‘Which would you consider to be your favourite food item at an IKEA store’ to which 38% of respondents answered ‘Meatballs’.

² Refers to question ‘To what extent do you agree or disagree with the statement: a visit to IKEA goes beyond a mere shopping experience – it’s an experience in itself.’ To which 66% agreed, or somewhat agreed.

Contact details:

For media enquiries, contact:

Bella Pilcher, Edelman Australia
[email protected]
0428 795 652

Vaibhav Mehta, Edelman Australia
[email protected]
0404 034 512

Emma Losco, IKEA Australia [email protected] 0432173618

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