McGhee’s, Babyfaced Baker, and Stephens Bakery are among the businesses to be shortlisted for the 2026 Scottish Baker of the Year Awards.
The competition, run by trade body Scottish Bakers, saw 500 products from over 60 bakeries across Scotland brought in for judging at Carnegie Conference Centre in Dunfermline this week (25 March).
Here, more than 50 industry experts, food writers and media personalities came together to assess entries across 11 categories: Biscuits, Bread, Sweet Treats, Scone, Morning Roll, Morning Goods, Doughnuts, Celebration Cakes, Better For You/Free From, Multiple Retailer Product, and Innovation.
To compete for the overall title of Scottish Baker of the Year, bakeries must also enter The Baker’s Den – the business focused stage of the awards. From this, judges will choose one winner of Scottish Baker Local Hero of the Year and one winner of Scottish Baker Icon of the Year, before selecting the overall Scottish Baker of the Year from those two finalists.
Nearly 50 bakeries have been shortlisted (see full list below) with representation from across Scotland as well as business type with small craft bakers and manufacturers in the running.
| Shortlisted bakeries | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ashers Bakery Ltd, Nairn | Irvines Bakers and Confectioners, Beith | Piece of Cake by Lucia, Falkirk |
| Aulds Bakeries Ltd, Greenock | Irving’s Homestyle Bakery Ltd, Castle Douglas | Rabbit Hole Cakes Ltd, Perth |
| Babyfaced Baker, Edinburgh | J B Christie, Airdrie | Reids Bakery, Thurso |
| Bakes by Becks, Alva | J M Bakery, Carnoustie | Saltire Pattisserie, Edinburgh |
| Beth Brownings Bakery, Kilmarnock | Keptie Bakery Limited, By Forfar | Selkie Bakery, Edinburgh |
| Brownings the Bakers Ltd, Kilmarnock | Linzer Bakery, Edinburgh | Stag Bakeries Ltd, Stornoway |
| Buns&Crumbs, Monkton | Luscious Lovelies Cakes, Falkirk | Stephens Bakery, Dunfermline |
| Byron Bakery, Aberdeen | Maclean’s Highland Bakery, Forres | T A Francis & Sons, Annan |
| Company Bakery, MUSSELBURGH | Mademoiselle Macaron, Edinburgh | The Apple Pie Bakery, Lanark |
| Cukie Swedish Bakery, Dunfermline | Maria’s Baking Stories, Dunfermline | The Bakery Hinba, Glasgow |
| Fergusons Bakery, Kilmarnock | McGhee’s Family Bakers, Glasgow | The Bread Guy, Aberdeen |
| Fisher & Donaldson, Cupar | Mimi’s Bakehouse, Edinburgh | The Cake Shop by Black Isle Baking, Inverness |
| G.H.Barnett & Son, Anstruther | Murdoch Allan & Sons, Peterhead | The Hame Bakery, Peterhead |
| Genius Foods, Bathgate | Murrays the Bakers, Perth | The Naked Sourdough, Kelso |
| Goodfellows of Dundee Ltd, Dundee | Pastel, Dalkeith | The Three Little Bakers, Inverness |
| Harry Gow Bakery, Inverness | Peter’s Bakery, Glasgow | Walkers Bonbon Limited, Edinburgh |
The overall winner of Scottish Baker of the Year, along with all best in category winners, will be announced at the awards on 16 May 2026 at the Glasgow Hilton Hotel.
As the trade association representing Scotland’s bakery sector, Scottish Bakers has introduced a refreshed format for 2026. The new structure is designed to shine a spotlight on the industry’s Local Heroes and Icons, celebrating the breadth of talent across the country and the qualities that make Scottish baking unique. This year will also see a new look awards ceremony, with the full event taking place across one action packed day.
“We are delighted to return this year with a brand-new format for Scottish Baker of the Year,” said Scottish Bakers CEO Lesley Cameron. “We want to celebrate what makes each bakery across Scotland special, while recognising the two key groups helping the industry thrive, our Local Heroes and Icons.
“With fairer, stronger judging, the competition will be more consistent and transparent than ever before, and we look forward to giving entrants valuable feedback to support growth across the industry,” she added.
Last month Scottish Bakers launched a manifesto to futureproof the industry which contributes £1bn to the Scottish economy and supports 12,000 jobs in the country. This included calling on the government to recognise the sector as a critical cultural and economic asset that requires targeted intervention.
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