Spiced sourdough, a humble white tin loaf, focaccia born from a mistake, and matcha flavoured brioche are among the previous winners of Britain’s Best Loaf – so what will take the title in 2026?
With entries pouring in for the 2026 competition, which is sponsored by ADM Milling, Fritsch, L&M Parnaby, Matthews Cotswold Flour, and Rademaker – British Baker takes a peek through the archives to see what loaves have taken home the accolade in years gone by.
“I have some incredible memories of Britain’s Best Loaf over the years,” says British Baker editor Amy North. “Although I wasn’t around at the very beginning, I remember watching in awe from the sidelines before taking up my editorship and therefore my spot on the judging panel.
“The surprise and delight on the judges’ faces when they find a truly spectacular loaf is truly something to behold, and the way that joy spreads as we announce the winner is magical. I remember how much of a punch the pepper in the Parmesan & Black Pepper Sourdough packed, the incredible story behind the Wild Hops & Barley Loaf, and how intriguing the green hue of the Brioche Japonais was. I can’t wait to see what the 2026 competition has in store for us.”
2013: Cumin & Chickpea Sourdough, Poppyseed Bakery (then known as Bexhill Farm Kitchen)
This would be the first of four Britain’s Best Loaf awards for East Sussex-based Poppyseed Bakery owner Lee Smith. Back then, the competition was part of the Bakers’ & Butchers’ Autumn Fair and comprised four categories – Sourdough, Wholegrain, White, and Innovation. The Cumin & Chickpea Sourdough fought off stiff competition in the Innovation category before battling it out with the other winners for the ultimate prize. The loaf was originally developed for a local Persian restaurant, takes 27 hours to complete, and uses sourdough starter as well as whole chickpeas.
2014: White Sourdough, Poppyseed Bakery
Having tasted success in 2013, Lee Smith was back for another shot at success coming away with three of the five category awards with his White Sourdough (and overall winner) coming top in the Sourdough category, while other products triumphed in the Baguette and White categories with his French Baguette and White Tin, respectively. Britain’s Best Loaf 2014 took 24 hours to make and has been on the menu since he opened the bakery.
2016: White Tin Loaf, Poppyseed Bakery
With no competition in 2015, the competition returned in 2016 moving to the Farm Shop & Deli Show which it remains part of to this day. True to form, Smith completed the hattrick of Britain’s Best Loaf wins, this time with his White Tin Loaf. At the time, Smith described the competition on the day as “difficult” highlighting the high quality of the other loaves competing.
2017: Beetroot Multiseed Sourdough, Seasons Bakery
It was time for a new champion as Dan Nemeth from Yorkshire-based Seasons Bakery proved his bread was a crust above the rest. His Beetroot Multiseed Sourdough, which remains on the bakery’s line-up to this day, is made over three days from a sourdough starter which is fed with freshly grated beetroot while beetroot chunks are also added alongside seeds. It remains one of the most decorated products in British Baker history, having been named Britain’s Best Loaf 2017, Speciality Bread Product of the Year at the Baking Industry Awards 2019, Flavoured Sourdough champion at Britain’s Best Loaf 2024, and picking up several other accolades including a gold medal at the 2025 Britain’s Best Loaf competition.
2018: White Seeded Sourdough Loaf, Foodhaven
A new competitor has entered and stormed the arena. Newhaven-based Foodhaven triumphed in the competition’s fifth year with a White Seeded Sourdough Loaf. Made by head baker Antony Brogden, the loaf was produced via a 30-hour fermentation process and comprised strong white flour, water, salt, oil and seeds.
2019: Wholemeal Sourdough, Poppyseed Bakery
Poppyseed Bakery’s Lee Smith was back for another shot at the title, this time with a Wholemeal Sourdough. He fought off stiff competition from an Indian spiced loaf among others across the five categories – White, Sourdough, Innovation, Wholegrain, and Gluten Free. Feeling content with four Britain’s Best Loaf titles, Smith has since joined the judging panel, lending his expertise to the search for outstanding loaves from across the nation.
2020: Wild Hops & Barley Loaf, Peter Cooks Bread
The judging process took place later in the year and without its usual live audience in 2020 owing to the pandemic. Judges were placed either end of long tables with loaves delivered to them for scrutiny. It was in a hall in East Grinstead that the judges stumbled upon the “beautiful and tasty loaf, with a great story behind it” – the Wild Hops & Barley Loaf from Hereford-based bakery Peter Cooks Bread. It was the first time Cook had entered the competition, with inspiration for the loaf coming hops which grew about 50 yards from the bakery’s door. These were used to make a tea which was then mixed with organic Shipton Mill No. 4 Strong White Flour to create a sourdough starter. Barley spent grains from a nearby micro-brewery also featured.
2021: Prune & Cardamom Sourdough, Joe’s Bakery
This was the second year in a row that a seasonal sourdough topped the competition, with the judges praising the beautiful balance of flavours and technical skill in the winning Prune & Cardamom Sourdough made by Bristol-based Joe’s Bakery. The loaf started off life as a yeasted product before being reconfigured as sourdough rose in popularity. The new recipe was based on the bakery’s brown sourdough loaf with the addition of rum-soaked prunes and ground cardamom.
2022: Parmesan & Black Pepper Sourdough, Bakerman
Taking the top spot in the Sourdough with Other Ingredients category, the Parmesan & Black Pepper Sourdough from Darlington-based Bakerman was praised by judges for its bold flavours as well as punchy aroma and the technical expertise it displayed. It’s a traditional slow-fermented sourdough made over the course of 48 hours with added parmesan and cracked black pepper. The loaf is made with organic strong white flour, organic stoneground wholemeal flour, organic parmesan, organic cracked black pepper, wheat levain, water, and sea salt.
2023: Brioche Japonais, Kuma-San Bakehouse
The Brioche Japonais from Kum-San Bakehouse took the judging panel by surprise as it fought off stiff competition from more than 150 loaves across seven categories – Flavoured Sourdough, Gluten Free, Innovation, International, Plain Sourdough, White, and Wholegrain. The loaf, which took the top spot in the Innovation category, has a vibrant green interior thanks to the addition of matcha which is mixed into the dough. The subtle flavour is complemented by dried fruits and white chocolate to produce what Kuma-San Bakehouse describes as a ‘special teatime loaf’. If that wasn’t enough, the soft loaf is topped with crispy macaron for some crunch and sweetness.
2024: Garlic & Rosemary Deep Pan Focaccia, 4Eyes Bakery
This loaf nearly didn’t make it onto the judging table as the baker behind it, Tom Martin, got stuck in traffic on the way to the competition and feared it was too late. The focaccia itself also had a rocky start being born from a mistake which saw Martin put too much water into the mix, meaning he was unable to make sourdough loaves as planned. Instead of binning it, he “chucked it into a pan, docked it, and it came out unbelievable”. The Italian-inspired loaf, which placed top of the International category, is flavoured with rosemary and garlic ensuring the flavour really “packs a punch”.
2025: Lemon & Earl Grey Brioche Loaf, Kuma-San Bakehouse
Kuma-San Bakehouse founder Miyo Aoetsu joined Lee Smith in the exclusive club of bakers who have won Britain’s Best Loaf more than once. Like last time, she wowed the judges with an unusual creation in the form of a Lemon & Earl Grey Brioche Loaf. Also, like last time, her reaction to the news was incredibly energetic and joyous. Similar to its prior bake’s matcha and Cointreau-soaked cranberry inclusions, the latest effort features Earl Grey tea with limoncello-soaked candied lemon peel – it also contains lemon curd and lemon juice. Judges described the winning product as “really balanced” with lemon flavours that weren’t overpowering.
2026: TBC
Reckon your loaf can stand alongside these bread behemoths? Then be sure to enter Britain’s Best Loaf 2026 before the deadline on Monday 16 February.
To enter, or for more information on either competition, please visit britainsbestloaf.co.uk. You can also reach out to Maya Miren with any queries via maya.miren@wrbm.com or 01293 610444.
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