‘Tauranga, home of New Zealand's champion pie maker' – that's the slogan proposed by Hori BOP, unofficial Steamers' mascot, mayoral candidate and avid rugby supporter.

As a part of the Rogers Rabbits request for a slogan for Tauranga, SunLive is asking city leaders and personalities what they think of the proposal. Hori BOP is first up.

'I think we can build a whole tourism industry around pies,” says Hori.

'Is there a pie town of New Zealand? Is there a pie capital of New Zealand?

'I reckon we just slap a dirty great pie out beside each entrance to Tauranga. I'm not talking about your average pie. I'm talking a pie the size of a truck.”

It's all on the strength of Bethlehem baker Patrick Lam's winning streak at the New Zealand pie championships.

The Gold Star Bakery won the supreme pie award in 2010 with a bacon and egg pie, and in 2009 with a creamy bacon mushroom and cheese pie. He's also won awards in 2004 and 2003.

'This bloke has won the national pie competition two times in a row,” says Terry.

'He's no flash in the pan, no fly-by-nighter. The guy's a fair dinkum, true blue champion.

No-one can knock him off his perch.”

As Tauranga has no Rugby World Cup games, the city can feature in Rugby World Cup by re-establishing the pie as the national food of New Zealand, says Hori.

'And therefore the official food of the Rugby World Cup. How many Weetbix do you see blokes eating at rugby games compared to pies?”

It's time rugby unions started selling pies at rugby games instead of over priced chips, burgers and hot dogs, says Hori.

'I'm not talking about the crappy little pies they had a go at selling at Baypark a few years ago, I'm talking about fair dinkum quality pies,” says Hori.

'And you will find that everyone will buy a pie and a cup of coffee or a cup of tea at a rugby game. It should be our national food.”

The pie is also the natural food of All Blacks, says Hori. It has all the food groups; carbohydrates, proteins, salt, taste.

'It's the whole shebang all wrapped up in one. And if one of the All Blacks was to come- out and he was gay, they have even got a vegetarian pie.”

People might think it's a stupid slogan, but Hori says Tauranga has to play to its strengths.

'Rotorua's got the Maoris and boiling hot mud, so we can't compete against that,” says Hori.

'We haven't really done anything for tourism in Tauranga have we?

'So discard all the half hearted attempts and let's go after being the pie capital of New Zealand. Stop mucking around and get stuck into it.”