Garlo’s Pies diversifies their family business

Family Business Australia, Media Release 23 June 2016

Sean Garlick has been a member of Family Business Australia (FBA) for some time, saying “being a part of the family business community has been a great networking tool. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting stacks of like-minded business owners, some of whom I have ended up working with”.

Sean will attend the FBA National Family Business Conference on 18th August in Melbourne to engage in a session on diversification in the family business, where he will discuss in greater detail the expansion of Garlo’s Pies into international markets.

Garlo’s Pies was born when NRL star Sean “Garlo” Garlick and his brother Nathan teamed up back in 2000, together with their father Terry who had just retired from working at the wharves. Sean had built a sporting career and name for himself while Nathan had a knack for baking and together they were set to become a formidable team. They had discussed the idea of opening a pie shop for quite a while before they actually opened the doors in Anzac Parade, Maroubra Junction in March 2001.

Sean explains that “it became a huge local success and suddenly we didn’t have the operating power to keep up with the demand – so we opened up another store, and then another. Our biggest leap forward was when Garlo’s Pies hit the shelves in Coles supermarkets. It was a stepping stone which led to our pies being served on flights abroad”.

Now with Sean’s two sons also working in the business, Garlo’s Pies is a second generation family business with a total of seven family members involved. Growth and expansion have been key goals of the family business from an early outset, with 6 stores opening in New South Wales over the first 36 months, followed by the expansion of their wholesale customer base in the years to come including over 200 Hotels, Café’s, Schools, Mobile Lunch Trucks and Sports Grounds. As the word spread about the quality of their pies, Garlo’s Pies became available in Coles Supermarkets across NSW and QLD in 2010. This was followed by IGA Supermarkets, which launched Garlo’s Pies in 2012. With stores now opening in Los Angeles, exporting pies to the Middle East, Hong Kong and the South Pacific, Sean explains “we’d like to see Garlo’s Pies on every continent!”.

Sean and his brother aspire to continue as a family business reflecting “you cannot replicate the brand loyalty and transparency that comes with running a family business. It is a big part of what makes Garlo’s Pies the success that it is today”.

Sean will explore how the business has diversified into international markets during the Parallel Session Diversifying your family business – why & how? For more information or to register for the Family Business National Conference, please visit the FBA website