Proof is in the people: Wellington hospitality business on the rise

It was all for the love of a decent Reuben sandwich. Chef Tim Tracey and advertising exec Mia Tracey, having travelled the world and acquired a taste for something they just couldn’t find in Wellington, decided there was no option but to start their own deli and make the New York deli sandwich they yearned for. While they originally intended to make sweet pies, they soon realised that their Kiwi customers would demand a meat pie. The combination of a meat pie and a pickle turned out to be surprisingly good, and Pickle & Pie, a Wellington take on a New York deli, was born.

Business was booming until COVID-19 hit. With the café forced to shut during lockdown, Mia and Tim adapted by setting up a food caravan in Silverstream. It proved such a big drawcard that the Upper Hutt mayor encouraged them to set up a local presence. They found commercial premises with the capacity to produce all the bread that Pickle & Pie needed – and more. Faced with the reality of economies of scale, they realised they needed to make and sell a lot more bread… and Dough was born.

Now, nine years on from founding Pickle & Pie, their portfolio has expanded to include the Dough HQ in Upper Hutt, four additional Dough Bakeries, and the pair’s latest offering, Slice, serving pizza in the inner city. Everything is made in the Upper Hutt bakery and shipped out to the retail outlets around the city.

Today, they employ 75 people and the business operates 24 hours a day. Whether it’s in the bakery or one of the retail outlets, someone is working somewhere for Pickle & Pie and Dough every minute of the day. In fact, on Christmas Day, the only day they close, Mia and Tim have to hunt for the keys to lock up shop, as they’ve forgotten where they are. Creating such a dedicated team takes a lot of energy, even more so when your focus is on maintaining quality.

Reflecting on what she has learned over the last nine years, and what she might have advised herself nine years ago, Mia recalls the ethos she and Tim learned at Ruth Pretty Catering, where they originally met.

“I would say, don't lose sight of exactly what it is that you offer and stay true to that. Keep your standards high. That’s the experience that we want to create, because that's where we came from with our training.” 

Mia is also driven by the opportunity she and Tim have to offer viable careers in hospitality, an industry that she is passionate about, but one that is often not viewed as a long-term career path.

“Everybody eats and drinks,” she says, “and connection has never been more important. We want to create professional careers in hospitality, and I love being able to offer that to people. When people come forward for jobs and say this is their thing and they want to stay in hospitality, we make it happen for them. We give them proper career progression.”

Being in Wellington has shaped the Pickle & Pie and Dough business in many ways. There have been tough times, and they have learned to be resilient. Tim and Mia have built a business that employs people, creates careers, and offers customers a moment of joy in their day. It also allows them to support local producers. Everything sold in Pickle & Pie, Dough, and Slice is made from scratch, and they source their ingredients locally as much as they can. In Wellington, they have access to a wide range of fresh and high-quality products, including coffee, beer, wine, fresh produce, and meat from Conscious Valley, a farm in Ohariu Valley, a short drive from the central city.

Mia has no time for the narrative that Wellington is in decline, and wants to focus on the diverse, creative melting pot that the city is. For Mia, the city’s spirit of creativity, resilience and connection is exactly what makes Wellington a place worth backing.

Rapid-fire Wellington round with Mia Tracey

Favourite Wellington café or restaurant: Pickle & Pie, and Koji on Marjoribanks Street

Favourite Wellington walk: Escarpment Track in Kāpiti, or behind Maidstone Park in Upper Hutt

Last book, podcast or show you enjoyed: Every Bastard Says No by Justine Troy and Geoff Ross (book), Between Two Beers, including the interview with Grant Baker (podcast)

Beach or bush: Beach

Coffee order: Flat white

Favourite place to take visitors: Plimmerton Beach with fish and chips

One Wellington business more people should know about: Projectworks, building their own product right here in Wellington, doing amazing things, and on the 2025 Fast 50 Index along with Dough Bakery

Dough Bakery placed 36^th on the 2025 Deloitte Fast 50 index and 22^nd on the 2024 Deloitte Fast 50 index. Read their growth story here: Deloitte Fast 50 – Insights from innovators 2024