As 2025 draws to a close, it presents the perfect opportunity to reflect on the past year and set intentions for the year ahead.
As part of our ‘bakery in review’ series, British Baker is exploring the big investments, top NPD, acquisitions, and appointments, but I also wanted to offer something a bit more personal – a few of my highlights from the past 12 months.
Here, I cast my eyes back over 2025 and share a few of my favourite bakery-based moments (yes, most of them revolve around eating things).
- Unabashedly snaffling pastries from Imma the Bakery in the car with my bakery wing-woman Sophie. We dropped in on Tona and the crew on the way to a conference to have a peek around the bakery and sample some of the delights on offer. We were not disappointed – the sausage roll was epic, the Pedro Ximenez pastry an absolute delight. We left with very full stomachs and absolutely covered in pastry, and it was 100% worth it.
- Eating all of the rye bread and buns in Copenhagen. I was lucky enough to be invited on a trip to Denmark with Puratos – a two-day extravaganza which saw us delve into the culture and cuisine of the country’s capital city. I came home even more enthused about rye bread, and wishing more out-of-home operators would serve up Smørrebrød.
- Getting stuck into judging for the Baking Industry Awards. The is a mammoth task but also a wonderful excuse to connect with some fascinating people and get behind the scenes at different types of bakeries. A few standout moments from this year’s judging include a peaceful couple of hours in one of Birds Bakery’s locations (you could feel that it was truly embedded in the community, staff and customers alike were so welcoming), the vibe in Dougies Goodies production site (I challenge anyone to find happier staff), and eating my first-ever Peach Melba while getting to know Andrew at Grant’s Bakery.
- Spending two days up to my ears in cake and bread for the Britain’s Best Loaf and Britain’s Best Cake competitions. Trust me, it’s harder than it seems, and I always make sure to have my trusty Rennie available for afterwards. But it’s such a celebration of joy, even more so this year as we awarded Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals meaning we could celebrate more of the lovely loaves and creative cakes.
- Speaking to students at London South Bank University’s Employability Day. It was a fantastic opportunity offered to me by Cristiana and Jake, allowing me to get to know the next cohort of talent coming through and sharing what we do at British Baker with them. It led to a really engaging conversation about trends, the wider health conversation, and how different types of bakeries fit into the industry.
- Parading around in my beaded cape at the Baking Industry Awards. Was it excessive? Yes. Did I spend the night being told how amazing it was? Also, yes. Of course, I shan’t let an outfit overshadow the incredible night which saw 600 people flock to the sold-out event as we celebrated the best of the best in the baking industry. With the phenomenal growth in attendees seen over the past few years, we’ve got a new venue for the 2026 ceremony.
- Eating pastel de nata in Lisbon. I was in Portugal to play roller derby, but the lure of baked goods remains strong wherever I am, meaning I indulged in several of these little tarts while there. The first was so good I had to lean against a wall to compose myself – it was a perfect combination of rich and creamy filling, crisp pastry, and caramelised top, all served warm.
- Galivanting around Canada with my fiancé. While I love my work, I believe it is important to step away and embrace what else life has to offer. This year, it included a two-week trip to Canada where I basked in the best scenery I have seen so far. Turquoise lakes, bright white glaciers, lush forests, and even a few raccoons. As a food-motivated person, bakery was never far from my mind and we indulged in some incredible doughnuts courtesy of Goldie’s Donuts and my first ever American biscuits (honestly, they made a better base for eggs benedict than English muffins. Blasphemous, I know.)
Of course, this isn’t a definitive list, but it offers a peek into the things that have brought me joy during 2025. There were many, many moments along the way though, passing comments which sparked inspiration, uplifting conversations with existing contacts, and promising ones with new connections. I can’t wait to bring these themes and ideas to life in 2026.
As always, please do reach out if you’d like to share some news or feedback with myself and the team – we’re always looking for new ideas and to improve our coverage. We’ve got a few things up our sleeves for next year, so stay tuned. Of course, my diary is also open for invitations to crumpet factories, craft bakeries, major manufacturing sites, and more.
For now, have a very merry Christmas and a happy new year!
Bakery in review 2025
As 2025 draws to a close, the British Baker team takes a look back at the big events that have played out in the baking industry over the past 12 months
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