Bakeries make the cut on awards shortlist

Half a dozen firms with local outlets have been included on the shortlist for Scottish Baker of the Year.

Aberfeldy’s Breadalbane Bakery and Team Room, Campbell’s of Crieff, Newburgh-based Mr C’s and Murrays, the Tower, and Goodfellow and Stevens’ bakeries in Perth are all in the running for the soughtafter accolade.

More than 11,000 customers from across Scotland voted for their favourite bakery products across six categories, 115 bakeries were nominated and more than 850 of the most popular products in the land were delivered for scrutiny by a panel of 56 expert and independent judges prior to the shortlist being announced late last week.

Trade association Scottish Bakers’ chief executive Alan Clarke declared: “We took delivery of hundreds of excellent scones, loaves, savoury items, morning rolls, individual cakes and biscuits made by Scottish bakers and our judges, led by head judge Robert Ross, have once again done us proud. We have a strong shortlist to take forward to the next stage.”

Each of the categories – scones, loaves, savoury items, morning rolls, individual cakes and biscuits – have been divided into three regions: northern, central and southern Scotland.

Within each category, the judges will award regional gold, silver and bronze awards.

All of the regional winners will then be judged on a national level.

Category winners will be invited to put forward a case to be considered for craft baker, retail craft baker and wholesale baker of the year.

This year also sees the introduction of a new business category – the bakery café of the year award – in addition to the regular manufacturer of the year section.

One of the category winners will then go on to lift the overall title, which will be announced on May 6 by Scottish Bakers’ ambassador Mich Turner MBE.