British Baker is celebrating its 140th anniversary in 2025! That’s 14 whole decades of bringing you the latest bakery-related news, views, information, and more.
As editor of this heritage and deeply respected brand, I am hyper aware of the weight on my shoulders. There’s a delicate balance to strike – respecting the past while being brave enough to make changes which will ensure its longevity.
But that’s exactly what bakery businesses do every day. Once upon a time you could buy a loaf of bread in Greggs but now it is turning over more than £2bn a year with nary a loaf in sight. Warburtons, which has been on the scene nine years longer than British Baker, wouldn’t be Britain’s biggest bread brand without some bold decisions along the way (who’d have thought Samuel L Jackson would ever agree to be in an advert for bread). Indeed, history is in the making now as Hovis and Allied Bakeries concede that the best way forward in a difficult market is together.
Back in 2014 I applied for the role of deputy editor at British Baker under then editor Martin Leek. While you may think this was the start of my journey, it was not as I didn’t even secure an interview. I hadn’t counted myself out yet though.
I joined The Grocer, part of the William Reed portfolio, in 2015 hotfooting it over to British Baker a couple of years later where I bestowed upon myself the moniker of Duchess of Doughnuts (a name which has gone on to be recognised across the industry although it does mean I am perceived by some as having a purely doughnut-based diet – I like savoury food as well, promise!)
I’ve now been with the brand for eight years and in the editor’s seat for five of them during which time we have been on a journey, evolving from a print product to a purely digital one, navigating the changing digital landscape (which sees trusted brands competing with often untrustworthy AI), launching new events such as Britain’s Best Cake, and evolving the Baking Industry Awards.
It’s no easy feat and I am frequently reminded of what things were like before my time for both positive and not so positive reasons.
I’m also often reminded of those who came before me, having joked that the Worshipful Company of Bakers annual election banquet is filled with ‘ghosts of editors past’. But it just goes to show the industry’s skill in attracting talented and passionate people and keeping them engaged.
With that in mind, over the next couple of months, we’re asking you, our valued British Baker audience, to celebrate this wonderful milestone with us.
Get in touch and share your stories, photos, and memories of the brand and how it has impacted your life. Perhaps you featured in the magazine many moons ago, you might have found your first job in the industry on the job pages, or even won one of the first Baking Industry Awards way back in 1987.
Whatever it was, we want to hear from you so drop us a message on our social media or reach out to myself or deputy editor Dan Riley via bb@wrbm.com. We can’t wait to hear from you!
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