There are few things more comforting than a vanilla slice from your local bakery, and this winter one of Victoria’s most beloved institutions is giving locals even more reason to drop in. Ferguson Plarre’s Bakehouses is celebrating 125 years of “baking people happy” by handing out 10,000 free pieces of cake across the state. The celebrations kick off on Friday 5 June, when every Victorian location will give away a free slice of birthday cake with any purchase, followed by a weekly special running all winter long, where the bakery’s most iconic items take turns on the specials board at just $1.25 a piece for Sweet Rewards Club members, a cheeky one cent for every year the business has been around.
For CEO Steve Plarre, the milestone is a moment to reflect on what has kept the family-run business going for five generations. “In a world of trends and viral food moments, Ferguson Plarre has stood strong as a reliable and comforting bakery staple in local communities for years, with almost 80 bakeries across Victoria,” he said. The team has spent more than a century refining recipes passed down through the family, from vanilla slices and chocolate éclairs to the perfectly flaky sausage roll and the much-loved tiddly oggie.
The brand’s roots trace back to Otto Plarre, who opened the first Plarre’s Cakes shop on Puckle Street in Moonee Ponds, still the oldest and longest-running location today. Otto’s great-grandchildren, Steve and Mike Plarre, now run the business, having learned the trade from their father, third-generation baker Ralph Plarre OAM, who brought the Ferguson and Plarre families together. “We’re a family business at heart, so it only felt right to celebrate this exciting milestone with our wider family by sharing some birthday cake, just like we do at home,” Steve said.
And it isn’t only loyalty members who get to join the party. Throughout the winter months, non-members can pick up discounts of up to 30 per cent off bakery favourites including meat pies, cupcakes and sweet slices, available in store only. So whether you’re a die-hard vanilla slice devotee or simply in the mood for a sweet winter treat, there’s never been a better time to visit your local Ferguson Plarre, just don’t forget to wish them a happy birthday. Find your nearest location here
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