Ann’s Pantry, Northern Ireland’s award-winning bakery, is focusing on health through the development of new products, including an innovative Christmas pudding, from spelt flour.

The artisan business has used spelt flour in the production of the first three products in a range being planned by the team of five bakers under the leadership of John Agnew.

The new products from spelt flour are Madeira cake, rich fruit loaf and Christmas pudding.

Agnew has been baking there for almost two decades and has been managing the family business for the past three years. He aims to see the bakery, originally started by his parents in 1967 and named after Ann, his mother, expand sales in markets outside Northern Ireland and has set his sights on winning its first business in the Irish Republic soon.

In addition, the company has gained plaudits for its unique Guinness oven wheaten, low-GI multi-seed bread – among the most popular with customers – as well as for a chicken and leek pie.

>> Spelt at Waitrose