What we do
Promoting, Protecting, and Celebrating the Cornish Pasty
The Cornish Pasty Association (CPA) is a group of genuine Cornish pasty producers based in Cornwall, who are fiercely proud of our heritage and the product that bears the county’s name. We work together to protect the authenticity of the Cornish pasty and to promote its reputation nationally and internationally.
We were formed in 2002 to apply for PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) status, which we achieved in 2011. This vital protection means that only pasties made in Cornwall to a traditional recipe can be legally called ‘Cornish Pasties’. We continue to protect this status vigorously.
But there’s more to the CPA than just protection. We also:
Promote the genuine Cornish pasty and all it represents – provenance, heritage, craft and quality
Share knowledge and best practice to support our members
Work together to raise the profile of the pasty industry and the people behind it
Engage in educational and community activity, including supporting cooking initiatives in local schools through the Cornish Pasty Community Fund
Why Join the CPA?
If you’re a pasty maker in Cornwall, being part of the CPA isn’t just a badge of honour – it’s a strategic advantage.
As a member, you join a collective voice that champions your product, defends its authenticity, and actively promotes your craft to the world. Through shared marketing, advocacy, and events, we open doors and build awareness of the industry we’re so proud of.
And nowhere is that more evident than in Cornish Pasty Week.
Cornish Pasty Week: Your Industry in the Spotlight
Cornish Pasty Week is our biggest celebration of the year – and it gets bigger every time. In 2025, the campaign reached millions of people across social media, national press, radio and TV.
Crucially, it raised over £20,000 for our Cornish Pasty Community Fund, supporting cooking initiatives in Cornish schools and nurturing the next generation of food lovers.
As a CPA member, you have the chance to be front and centre of this success – to benefit from the PR, be featured in promotional campaigns, and take part in events that drive footfall and reputation.
More Than a Membership
Being a CPA member means being part of a close-knit, passionate group working together to:
Protect what makes our pasties unique
Shape the future of the industry
Celebrate the people, skills, and stories behind every crimp
If you’re committed to making proper Cornish pasties, we’d love to welcome you to join the CPA and we can help you with:
Producers
- Access to a peer network of certified Cornish pasty producers.
- Help with GI audit and certification.
- Use of the CPA’s trade marks.
- Guidance on GI labelling and marketing.
- Collective promotion and marketing of the Cornish pasty.
- The chance to take part in Cornish Pasty Week.
- Help the next generation learn pasty-making at our events.
- Hear about new trade leads from inside and outside the UK.
- Be included in media opportunities.
- Promotion via our online directory and social media.
Retailers
- Access to the Recognised Retailer scheme for sellers of certified Cornish pasties.
- Professionally designed point of sale materials.
- Use of the CPA’s trademarks.
- Guidance on PGI labelling and marketing.
- The chance to get involved in Cornish Pasty Week.
- Take part in other events.
- Promotion via our online directory and social media.
Joining up
As soon as a producer of Cornish pasties receives certification that their pasties meet the requirements of the GI, they are eligible to join the Association.
There is no charge for a producer to be part of the Association.
We work as a collective that helps each other out and works towards the common good rather than individual benefit.
Between our members, there is a mine of information about ‘What’s Hot’ in the industry. From ovens and blast chillers to ingredient suppliers and PR opportunities, there is plenty to share.
Board members give up their time voluntarily to direct the development and evolution of the Association.
We also employ the team at Cornwall Food & Drink to manage and administer the day to day running of the CPA and our events, such as Cornish Pasty Week. They have a wealth of knowledge and contacts at their fingertips and can answer pretty much any question relating to the Association or the GI. If they can’t, you can guarantee they will know someone who can.
The CPA also participates in the UK Protected Food Names Association, which liaises with and lobbies the UK government on matters that affect producers of Protected Name products.
Producer members are all eligible to vote at general meetings and to be nominated for a place on the Board.
To find out more:
Becoming a Recognised Retailer
Wherever you are – in Cornwall, the rest of the UK, or the rest of the world – if you sell Cornish pasties that are made by a certified producer you are welcome to become one of our Recognised Retailers.
Once we’ve checked that the pasties you sell are genuine Cornish pasties we can start the ball rolling to include you in our network.
Fees work on a sliding scale, according to the number of outlets you have. For those with a single outlet the annual fees start at just £100 + VAT.
We know that the dos and don’ts of the GI can be a bit of a minefield, and grappling with how to label and market Cornish pasties at their point of sale can be daunting. But because we don’t want anyone selling genuine Cornish pasties to fall foul of the law, we’ll give you all the guidance you need and some materials to get you started.
You’ll also be able to use the CPA’s ‘Genuine Cornish Pasty’ trade mark and we’ll send you regular updates and invitations to take part in meetings and events.
For more information:
Get in touch
Please call 01872 865101
or email [email protected]
The Cornish Pasty Association
c/o Cornwall Food & Drink
Tregurra Park, Newquay Road,
Truro, Cornwall TR1 1RH
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