Baking Industry Awards 2025: Geary’s Bakeries triumphs as Bakery Manufacturer of the Year 2025

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This category looks to champion bakeries that demonstrate great ambition and growth over the past year, as they deliver quality products at volume whilst caring for customers, employees, and the environment.

Winner: Geary’s Bakeries

A clear commitment to both innovation and authenticity helped sway judges in favour of the Leicester-based manufacturer.

The family business expertly rushed through a third production site – costing £35m and coming online in May – to provide some much needed additional capacity for its vibrantly coloured Jason’s Sourdough range, which has bounded up the leaderboard of British bread brands.

One judge commented that the company showcased “a strong heritage rooted in traditional craft baking, combined with impressive investment in modern facilities”. Another said the team had “a collective enthusiasm for their process, products, and growth which was truly impressive and demonstrated a clear strategy for the future”.

Now run by fourth-generation master baker Jason Geary, the firm has a bespoke manufacturing setup which is central to its production model, including semi-automated machinery customised to its unique recipes helping maintain product quality in vast quantity. “Their focus on long fermentation processes and consistent product standards highlights their expertise and dedication to excellence,” added a judge.

Turnover at Geary’s – which also supplies own-label white bloomers, malted loaves, rustic wholemeals, and sourdough items to retailers – is forecast to reach £130m this year, up from £92m in 2024. Accordingly, workforce has more than quadrupled over the past five years from 212 to 888 staff members, with a further jump to over 1,000 expected by year end.

Jason Geary recently revealed that, whilst the newest bakery (aka Glenfield 2) will enable the company to continue to grow and expand its Jason’s Sourdough brand, it was already looking at options for future expansion via another new production site.

Finalist: Cherrytree Bakery

Burnley-based sweet treats supplier Cherrytree Bakery has been smashing it over the past 12 months, with turnover leaping by 43% and profit soaring 52%. The purchase of an adjacent 12,000 sq ft unit back in 2023 has been followed by further investment (totalling £2.6m) to create a state-of-the art factory dedicated to traybakes. This doubled the company’s production capacity and allowed for innovation of new lines for its retail and foodservice customers.

Recruitment has also increased by 22% in the last year to support growth, almost surpassing the 200 mark. And it has begun exporting on a permanent basis too, with overseas sales rising from £23k to more than £2.5m.

Cherrytree supplies a variety of brownies, muffins, traybakes, and loaf cakes, as well as some traditional items like Chorley cakes. It is currently partnering with Nestlé Professional on the co-manufacturing of a new range of muffins featuring branded chocolate bar inclusions, and has also launched muffins and brownies under its own brand.

The company prides itself on its limited use of automation whilst hand decorating at speed, granting it the flexibility to offer a very quick turnaround of NPD for customers (around six weeks). This dynamic approach impressed the judging panel, who praised the creativity and strong visual appeal of its range. “With efficient operations and a flexible response to customer demands, Cherrytree balances innovation with reliable commercial delivery,” said a judge, with another noting how everyone they met during their visit seemed engaged and enjoyed working there.

Finalist: Regal Foods

Established in 2001, Regal Bakery has grown to produce a huge portfolio of around 400 SKUs (predominantly sweet treats) which are distributed to more than 3,000 retail outlets nationwide, sitting in both mainstream cake and world foods sections. It recently secured Ocado listings for 62 products under its Regal Foods and Yorkshire Baking Company brands.

In addition, more than 20% of the products are exported to over 50 countries worldwide, with the company receiving the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2022 for its services to International Trade.

The sprawling bakery facility in Bradford is staffed by 250-plus operatives and features a total of 13 rotating gas ovens and four packing lines, with various other weighing, mixing, and depositing machinery plus a one-of-its-kind water jet cutting machine developed exclusively by the firm.

Sales continued to increase during the pandemic, and have accelerated in the years since, most recently jumping from £31.6m in 2023 to £39.1m last year. Nearly £5m of company funds have been spent on upgrades on-site to improve capacity by more than 40%.

Judges appreciated the high volumes and diversity of products created at Regal Bakery, which showcased strong technical capability and consistent quality. “The business is clearly well-structured, with a focus on efficiency, scalability, and customer satisfaction,” expressed the panel, echoing its strong growth “driven by the leadership’s energy and enthusiasm”.