One hundred, sometimes 200, pies fly off the shelves at its neighbouring dairy each day.
This week the Bay of Plenty Times revealed Maketu Pies was in receivership due to its "critical financial position".
The business has been operating in Maketū for about 36 years and is the community's biggest employer of about 40 staff, mostly locals.
But the brand is for sale and one of the receivers says there are a number of "interested parties".
In the days after the announcement prospective buyers went through the doors of Maketu Pies.
Award-winning Tauranga baker and Patrick's Pies owner, Patrick Lam, considered and decided against buying the bakery.
READ MORE:
• Premium - Maketu Pies in receivership, community devastated: 'It has employed so much of Maketu'
• Who bought all the pies? Maketu may be snapped up next week
• Premium - Who will buy the pies? High interest in iconic brand Maketu Pies
• Arrests made after cars targeted on Te Ngae Rd
Te Arawa iwi have also expressed interest.
Speaking of Patrick's Pies, he's been crowned the supreme winner at the New Zealand pie awards seven times since 2003.
Lam owns Patrick's Pies in Bethlehem, Tauranga Crossing plus Gold Star Bakery on Old Taupo Rd in Rotorua.
Surely the Bay of Plenty must be the unofficial home of pies.
To lose Maketu Pies would be to lose a Bay icon, to lose the town's identity and, for many, to lose employment.
For those who don't know where Maketū is, eating a Maketu Pie makes them find out and puts the town on the map.
In March 2018 Cadbury moved production to Australia after bids to find a local manufacturer failed.
At its peak, more than 350 workers were employed there.
As a result revenue in that calendar year dropped from $296.6 million the year before to $211.8m. Profits declined and the city lost an icon.
Let's not allow Maketu Pies to be the Bay of Plenty's Cadbury factory.