In exciting news for bakers looking to cash in on seasonal sales growth, there’s still time to enter our Christmas Stars competition! Entries now close on 8 July. 

Any baker can enter to be in with a chance to be crowned a British Baker Christmas Star across 11 different categories.

Winners can showcase their success with a Winner or Highly Recommended logo, to be used across all marketing material and on packs.

“Christmas is one of the busiest periods for any baker, if not the busiest,” said Martyn Leek, editor of British Baker.

“That’s why this initiative is one of vital importance and will give the winners that competitive Christmas edge. Here at British Baker we’re lucky enough to taste great products all year round. But, when it comes to Christmas, the industry raises the bar - in taste, aesthetics and creativity. We wanted to celebrate this hard work, so British Baker’s Christmas Stars was born.”

2016 has 11 categories to choose from, covering all the Christmas bakery staples:

Cake Bar: It can be a bar that is sold individually or in a multi-pack. Can include any ingredient, but must have a festive feel or packaging. Can be a traybake.

Christmas Biscuit Selection: Must include at least 12 biscuits and it has to have a combination of chocolate and plain. It must be sold as a selection especially for Christmas.

Christmas Cake: The cake must be no bigger than 12 inches in diameter. It must contain a mix of dried fruit and almonds and can be decorated in any way.

Christmas Gingerbread: It can be an individual gingerbread or a pack of no more than 12. Gingerbread can be decorated in any way.

Festive Bread: This can be any type of bread (white, brown, wholemeal, sourdough, rye, etc), but must only be available for sale over the Christmas period. Up to 800g in weight.

Festive Cake or Pudding: A cake or pudding (but not a traditional Christmas pudding) of any size, and featuring any ingredients or baking technique. However, the product must only be available for sale over the festive period.

Gluten Free: A new category for 2016, this can be any type of gluten-free product (e.g. biscuit, cake or pudding). It is an open weight class, but products must be less than 20 ppm in gluten content.

Mince Pie: Entries must consist of six mince pies. Entrants can use any kind of pastry. They must contain mincemeat. They can also be of any shape or size.

Panettone: This sweet Italian bread must include vanilla, citrus and candied fruit. It can be of any size or shape.

Savoury Biscuit: The entry can include biscuits all of the same type or of a varied style.

Stollen: This yeasted cake must contain almonds and a mix of dried fruit. It can be of any size or shape.

Traditional Christmas Pudding: The pudding must be no bigger than seven inches in diameter. It must contain a mix of dried fruit and some kind of alcohol, and can be decorated in any way.

So, whether you have one shop or hundreds, if you supply the supermarkets or foodservice, then this is the seal of approval for you.

Entries cost £377 +VAT per product, or for independent companies with 30 employees or less £199 +VAT (this will be independently verified)

Enter now at www.bakerychristmasstars.co.uk

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