Aberdeen-based The Bread Guy has been named Scottish Baker of the Year 2024/25.
The business beat over 60 bakeries from across Scotland to lift the coveted rolling pin trophy during an awards ceremony in Glasgow over the weekend.
The Bread Guy also took home a haul of six other trophies including the Best in Scotland gold award for its Gluten Free Pan Loaf in the free from (bread) category and a national silver award in the buttery category. It also claimed regional silver awards in the sourdough bread, yeasted bread, and savoury classes, plus a Regional bronze in the morning rolls division.
The artisan bakery runs fours shops around Aberdeen city and one in nearby Inverurie, as well as supplying the likes of breads, tinned loaves, and rolls wholesale to cafes, restaurants, and independent retailers across the Grampian region.
Scottish Baker of the Year is an annual competition organised by trade body Scottish Bakers which allows firms to put forward up to 12 of their star bakery products to be taste tested by 50 industry experts. Winners this year were decided across 13 categories – (other than the ones mentioned above) these included for best biscuit, individual cake, scone, potato scone, celebration cake, French/Danish pastries, and free from (biscuits & cake).
“The level of competition this year was exceptionally high, making each win a significant accomplishment,” said Scottish Bakers chief executive Lesley Cameron, noting that each entry was meticulously evaluated based on appearance, baking quality, and taste.
The Bread Guy expressed that it was “absolutely thrilled” with winning the top award. “It’s one thing to have confidence in our products, but to have that validation from both customers and industry experts is truly the icing on the cake,” it added.
Not only did the awards recognised excellence in products, it also honoured best business practices across four distinct categories. Craft Baker of the Year (given for businesses with three or fewer shops) was won by Mackenzie’s Bakery, while Retail Craft Baker of the Year (for those with more than three shops) saw The Bread Guy collect yet another trophy.
Bavarian Bakehouse triumphed in the Wholesale Baker of the Year category (for manufacturers without retail outlets), and Bakery Café of the Year (for cafés producing the majority of their baked goods in-house or at a dedicated bakery unit) was picked up by Fisher & Donaldson, which was named Craft Bakery Business of the Year at the Baking Industry Awards 2023.
Michelle Phillips, the newly installed President of Scottish Bakers whose business Mimi’s Bakehouse won last year, commented: “All winners should feel incredibly proud of their achievements. We anticipate that these well-deserved accolades will not only honour their hard work but also contribute significantly to their business growth.”
Other winners on the night included:
- Ashers
- Babyfaced Baker
- Bayne’s Family Bakers
- City Market Bakery
- Cuckoo’s Bakery
- Cukie Patisserie
- Full Circle Bakes
- G H Barnett
- Goodfellow and Steven
- Harry Gow Bakery
- Irvines Bakery
- Irving’s Homestyle Bakery
- J B Christie
- J M bakery
- Gillespies
- Keptie Bakery
- Little Bakery
- Luscious Lovelies Cakes
- Maclean’s Highland Bakery
- Mimi’s Bakehouse
- WeeCook
- Murrays
- Pastel
- Cakes by Lucia
- Rabbit Hole Cakes
- Rendall’s Bakery
- Saltire Patisserie
- Stephens Bakery
- T A Francis & Sons
- Apple Pie Bakery
- The Breadwinner Bakery
- The Naked Sourdough
- The Three Little Bakers
Scottish Bakers also organises the annual World Championship Scotch Pie Awards, which crowned James Pirie & Son for an unprecedented fifth time back in January.
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