What does a cube croissant, vegan lemon tart, gluten-free pitta, and ancient grains sourdough have in common? They’ve all taken home a coveted Baking Industry Award.
These winners represent a cross section of the industry ranging from artisan bakers to a sweet treat manufacturer, and even Britain’s largest bakery brand.
This year there are three product categories to choose from – New Bakery Product of the Year, Free From Bakery Product of the Year, and Speciality Bread Product of the Year – offering businesses of all shapes and sizes a chance to let their products shine. Triumphing in a product category can have a host of benefits including boosting sales, securing new customers and listings, free publicity, and ensuring your wonderful development teams and bakers get the recognition they deserve.
The judging process puts your products in front of our skilled panels with retail buyers often among the line-up alongside NPD specialists and industry experts.
What does the judging process involve?
The first step is to enter your products via the dedicated Baking Industry Awards website. From there, all entries are reviewed by the judging panel who narrow them down for the next round.
Entries cost £85+VAT and businesses have until Monday 28 April 2025 to get their submissions in.
In round two, our expert panels finally get their hands on the goods. Here, they assess, prod, sniff, and, of course, taste the products – marking them on a range of attributes including appearance, bake quality, and taste. They also analyse how effective the product is in meeting the needs of its audience and where it fits into the market.
“The Baking Industry Awards product judging day is one of my favourite days in the calendar,” said British Baker editor Amy North. “It’s so exciting to see (and eat) the incredible innovation the industry has to offer and find out about the development processes behind them.”
What made these products stand out?
Gluten-Free Soft White Pittas, Warburtons – Free-from Bakery Product of the Year 2024
The judging panel found this to be genuinely indistinguishable from a standard pitta, describing it as “so soft, easy to fill, versatile, and fluffy” with a good crumb structure.
Sprouted Ancient Grain Sourdough, Stir Bakery – Speciality Bread Product of the Year 2024
Described as nutrient dense and high in fibre, the loaf is comprised of 30% sprouted grains – emmer, einkorn, spelt, and rye – and utilises a mix of flours blended by the Stir Bakery. It uses natural leaven, gentle kneading, and a long slow rise to preserve the strength of its softer wholegrain flours. “This loaf was on my radar before the judging took place,” comments British Baker editor North, “with several people in the industry highlighting the technical skill that goes into producing a loaf this good, particularly with the complex ingredients involved. It was a pleasant surprise then when the judging panel named it as the category winner.”
When Life Gives You Lemons Tart, Bells of Lazonby – New Bakery Product of the Year 2022
Bells of Lazonby wanted to put its We Love Cake lemon tart – which is free from gluten, wheat, milk, and also certified as vegan – against conventional bakery products. It was a move that paid off as the judges declared: “It’s missing nothing against a traditional lemon tart”.
Gluten-free Yule Log, Baker & Baker – Free-from Bakery Product of the Year 2022
Producing a gluten-free yule log that meets Marks & Spencer’s exacting standards is no easy feat, but it’s exactly what Baker & Baker accomplished (after trialling 40 different recipes). The dedication paid off and garnered the approval of the Baking Industry Awards judges, with them praising it for being “delicious and moreish” and overcoming technical challenges along the way.
Red Rye & Ruby Malted Beer Sourdough, The Yorkshire Loaf – Speciality Bread Product of the Year 2023
“We’ve never tasted a beer bread that tastes so much of beer,” the judges declared of this loaf. Couple this was a beautifully baked interior, rustic charm, and balanced flavours, and there was a winner in the making. The 100% dark rye sourdough tin loaf is made with ruby beer and a red rye grain blend, as well as sunflower and pumpkin seeds.
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