Sponsored by Brook Food & Bakery Equipment

Tona Erreguin - Imma The Bakery

As founder and head baker of Imma the Bakery in Stoke Row, South Oxfordshire, Tona is hands-on in the daily operation, always striving to make it better. She lives by the oath to “keep baking no matter what, to be better today than yesterday, to generate community, and to constantly re-invent ourselves” and this can be felt in the bakery. An array of sourdough loaves and pastries are on offer at the bakery, with the judges lauding the “quality and finish” of the products available.

Sponsored by Craggs & Co

Wildfarmed

“A masterclass in how to introduce a brand with impact, clarity, and momentum” was how the Baking Industry Awards judges described Wildfarmed’s entry into the bread market. The brand, which is on a mission to take regenerative agriculture to the mainstream, hit the wrapped bread and in-store bakery aisles in early 2024 with a five-strong range of products, including white sliced and seeded loaves, as well as rolls.

Sponsored by FRITSCH Bakery Technologies

Geary's Bakeries

The Leicester-based company showcases “a strong heritage rooted in traditional craft baking, combined with impressive investment in modern facilities”, according to judges, who visited its new £36m production site shortly after it opened in May. This third bakery provides the manufacturer some much needed capacity for its vibrantly coloured Jason’s Sourdough range. In addition, the judges found the Geary’s team to have “a collective enthusiasm for their process, products, and growth which was truly impressive and demonstrated a clear strategy for the future”.

Sponsored by IFF

Gail's

Gail’s fought off stiff competition from three former category champions. Having been named a finalist last year, the business forged ahead on its strategic vision to ‘make exceptional craft baking a part of every community’, making some serious progress on the way. This includes adding more than 30 new sites to its estate, revamping its menu with a focus on diverse grains, and championing British farming. What’s more, it’s continued investment in recruitment and training resulted in our judges being greeted by “knowledgeable and enthusiastic” ‘Breadheads’ at every store visited.

Sponsored by Dawn Foods

Grant's Bakery

“This is the sort of bakery everyone wishes they had in their town” – that’s how the Baking Industry Awards judges described Grant’s Bakery. Nestled in the heritage village of Corbridge and led by Andrew Cotterell, the business is on a mission to be known as “the best quality bakery in the north”. Since it took the title in 2020, Grant’s Bakery has invested in its operations, expanded its site, and also its range, resulting in a boost in revenue and average basket spend but crucially not at the expense of its product quality and standards.

Original Vanilla Bean Glaze Doughnuts, Borough 22 Doughnuts

Sponsored by Baker & Baker

Dirty Chai, Chocolate & Pistachio Babka, Patisserie Mark Bennett

The “perfect coffee shop treat” is how the judges described the Dirty Chai, Chocolate & Pistachio Babka from Patisserie Mark Bennett. The babka is made with the bakery’s house brioche dough and is infused with cinnamon, black pepper, clove, cardamom, and ginger before being rolled up with a chocolate filling to prove and then bake. It is then topped with a coffee icing and sprinkled with roasted chopped pistachios for added colour and texture.

Sponsored by IRCA Group

Mademoiselle Macaron

The Edinburgh-based business says its offer of highly customised and bespoke macarons has been made possible by “investing heavily” in its website, which creates a unique customer journey and garners an unmatched standard of online reviews. Judges were won over by the “clean and easy to use” website and found it pleasantly straightforward to build a box of mixed flavours. There were also clear instructions on how to customise orders, with the resultant macarons “beautifully presented upon arrival”.

Sponsored by Délifrance

Peter Wenzel

Peter Wenzel’s career spans half a century. Having trained as a master baker, he established the first Wenzel’s the Bakers in Sudbury Hill, London in 1975. The business is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary and has grown to operate more than 100 shops across London and the Home Counties employing 1,200 people. Peter has sought to embed them in every community, spearheading charity endeavours and community support initiatives, donating more than a million baked goods to local schools, and offering employment opportunities to those with disabilities. His “dedication and support go far beyond anything we could have dreamed of” said a trustee from one of the charities Peter supports.

Sponsored by Rademaker

Emily Anderson - Coopland & Son  (Scarborough)

In her role at Scarborough-headquartered Cooplands, Emily is responsible for the bakery’s product development across all categories from sandwiches to confectionery. In the first half of the year, she took more than 65 products through the process with one of the most successful being the redevelopment of the bakery’s pies through a partnership with a local brewery. The judges were blown away by her ability to bring “passion, potential, and practical skills to the table”, with one adding that she “embodies what the baking industry truly needs right now”.

Sponsored by BAKO

French Onion Soup Loaf, Patisserie Mark Bennett

This innovative and eye-catching loaf tasted exactly how it was described, to the delight of the judges who were already on board with the melted cheese topping and “nice chunks of onion” throughout. Mark Bennett, founder of the eponymous Dorset-based bakery chain, developed the recipe off the back of a customer competition to suggest new bread flavours. It uses scratch-made French onion soup instead of water to make the dough, which is yeast and bulk fermented for a lighter spongy texture. “Flavoursome” and “moreish” were just some of the compliments that judges gave the loaf.

BAKO

By bakers for bakers – that’s the Bako motto. It was this ethos, present throughout Bako’s operations, which saw it crowned the first-ever Supplier of the Year. Its growth over the past year, partly driven by the acquisition of Finlay’s Foods, to become a full UK and Ireland-wide supplier with improved capabilities impressed the judges. As did the “the level of energy put into every aspect of the business”, from investments in efficiency to supporting the future of the industry, and steps on its sustainability journey.

Sponsored by Macphie

Brand and product launch, Wildfarmed

“Sustainability is their raison d’etre,” commented a judge on Wildfarmed, adding “there is no one else that is doing as much to help spread awareness of regenerative agriculture, push its adoption, engage businesses of all sizes, educate all sectors of society, and even make it cool”. Clearly the brand hasn’t rested on its laurels since winning the category two years ago. It launched its first branded bread range in May 2024, which gained retail listings in Waitrose, Ocado and Tesco, and more recently teamed up with academic and commercial organisations to measure the biodiversity, carbon, and water health of its fields.

Sponsored by Lavazza Coffee

Ginger Bakers

This Kendal-based manufacturer stood out as a “heartfelt and authentic reflection of what a truly values-driven business looks like”, with judges particularly impressed by the sense of unity and mutual respect that runs through every aspect of its work. Ginger Bakers maintains a close-knit team of 10 including chefs, bakers, and assistants, plus managers for dispatch, customer services, sales, and marketing – all overseen by founder Lisa Smith who set it up in 2006. Everyone in the company is encouraged to contribute ideas, from cost savings, alternate suppliers, and process efficiencies, to brand new recipes such as gluten-free mince pies.