'Hang on a minute': Kiwi man's shock at $14.50 for humble sausage roll

In the midst of an ongoing cost of living conundrum, a curious New Zealander is posing a whimsical question: just how much dough is justified for a humble sausage roll? 

Upon returning from his globetrotting escapades, John Bredican was taken aback by the surging prices of sausage rolls across Aotearoa. Although not a fervent enthusiast of the treat, he confessed to keeping tabs on it due to its "iconic" status as a Kiwi delight. 

"I would have thought around the $4 to $5 mark would be reasonable. But when it started heading north of $5, I was ‘hang on a minute, this is quite a bit of money for a sausage roll’." Bredican said. 

His astonishment peaked at the sight of a $14.50 specimen.  

While not a connoisseur's creation, this roll boasted a chunkier presence. Bredican noted it was " larger size in terms of fat, but it wasn’t long." 

Oddly enough, when he shared the roll's picture on social media, the dimensions weren't the focal point. “The reaction was ‘okay what else is in it and what else comes with it?’.” " he said. 

First Up had a heart-to-heart with the café manager, who attested to the roll's popularity among patrons. " “We make the sausage rolls ourselves, in house. It’s not just a standard sausage roll, it has apple to make the sweetness, plus onions, herbs and spices. “It’s made with love - that should go a long way. “It comes with a deli-made relish and garnish - it looks beautiful on the plate.”  
," the manager explained. 

As for size, it was deemed "pretty decent." Since its introduction, the rolls stuck to their guns, with 60 flying off the shelves each week. 

A peek at sausage roll prices across the UK brought further comparison. “A gourmet one there is venison and pheasant, and that’s £3.50 in London.”," Bredican revealed, translating to NZ$7.48. 

“That’s a gourmet artisanal sausage roll, and I don’t think what I’ll be looking at the $10 and $14 regional sausage rolls is what I would describe as being artisanal. I think they’re your basic sausage roll.”