Vendor Spotlight: Uncle Dad's Pizza and Meat Pies

Over 50 years ago, Mathew Rawson’s mother would make home-made meat pies in their kitchen, which he would then load into his little red wagon to sell door-to-door for 25 cents each. “They got so popular that people would be waiting on their porches for me and my wagon,” Mathew reminisced with a smile. “We would put them in wax paper sleeves, and they would still be steaming hot when I delivered them.” The meat pies popularity spread through word of mouth, and the Rawson’s clientele gradually expanded. Mathew continued to make the meat pies with his mother’s recipe; expanding their product line to include home-made pizzas, and officially opening Uncle Dad’s Meat Pies and Pizza Plus flagship store at The Market at Western Fair District over 20 years ago with his wife Sharon. ​

Today, the business is still family owned and operated, with Mathew’s children, family and friends running their over 40 farmers’ market locations, and organizing their wholesale retail and restaurant locations across Southwestern Ontario. Mathew’s daughter Sandy and her husband Ryan run the Horton Farmers’ Market location, as well as locations in Dutton, Aylmer, Woodstock and Ingersoll. “We all kind of take part [in the business] in some way,” Sandy explained. “We have some family members that work and make the pizzas, and some that work the markets in different areas.” 

The meat pies and pizzas were originally all made out of their flagship location at the Western Fair District. When they started out, they would make roughly 50 pizzas for the whole week. Since then, their popularity has greatly expanded, and they now have a 3,000 square foot warehouse in London where everything is made. “We do on average 5,000 pizzas a week now, depending on the season,” Sandy said. “For The Horton Farmers’ Market [each Saturday] we bring roughly 150 pizzas.” 

Uncle Dad’s pizzas are not only delicious and locally made, but they are always made fresh. “I know a lot of people that come up and ask," Oh, are these frozen?” But they aren’t,” Sandy explained. Their pizzas are good in the oven, but they are also great on the barbeque during the summer time (their meat pies cook well on the barbeque too). When asked about what their favourite pizzas were, Sandy and Ryan had to take a second to narrow it down. Ryan’s favourite is the meat lovers, where Sandy’s is a little less traditional; the dill pickle pizza. Don’t let the name or look fool you, it is a delicious combination, and every once in a while Sandy will cook one up at Horton for samples, and it goes fast! “We had customers come in and talk about trying pickle fries, and tell us they loved them,” Sandy explained. “So I said, why not try it on a pizza? And they work, they are actually really good.”

Originally Uncle Dad’s Pizza and Meat Pies started off with 12 to 15 different pizza flavours, and they have now worked their way up to over 20 different kinds, including gluten free cauliflower crust options. They have also expanded their meat pie offerings, and now offer 11 different kinds, which have been added to their menu over the years. 

For all of their meat pies and pizzas, Uncle Dad’s works to source local, fresh ingredients; often from other market vendors. “We have a couple vendors at the Western Fair District Market that we usually get from,” Sandy explained. “We’ve been getting produce from Peter’s Produce at their farm, especially when their vegetables are in season.” 

As for the Horton Farmers’ Market, Uncle Dad’s Pizzas and Meat Pies have been staples at the market for around 15 years, with Mathew originally running the location, and then handing it down to Sandy and Ryan. Sandy smiled as she talked about how Horton has become a staple location for them, and one that they always enjoy coming to each week. “I like Horton because it’s unique,” Sandy said. “I obviously get to see new people come, but it’s so nice to see familiar faces all the time. It’s like a small knit family, all the vendors, the staff, and managers there.” Many of the farm vendors have been around as long as Uncle Dad’s has been, so Sandy has come to know their businesses, and their families. “I remember the Harris Flower Farm kids running around our booth as young children, and now they are towering over me,” Sandy said with a laugh. “I like that about [the Horton Farmers’ Market]. The people are friendly, and it’s just a different type of environment.” 

Paige Palmer

Paige is happy to be joining the St. Thomas Economic Development Corporation as their 2024 Summer Marketing Assistant. She is completing her undergraduate degree this summer with a double major in Media and Communications Studies and Thanatology at Western University and King’s University College. She is excited to help to promote local vendors and businesses this summer, and is looking forward to trying all the delicious and unique produce and products at the Horton Farmers’ Market this summer! Outside of work and school she loves spending time learning about nature, animals, and gardening.