Cumbria’s Lovingly Artisan Bakery has been named as the top bakery in Britain by industry experts.
The Bakers’ Dozen was revealed on Tuesday at the first ever meeting of The Artisan Collective, held in Birmingham. The collective has been created by British Baker, to celebrate artisan bakeries and the people behind them while offering a platform to facilitate conversations and share skills.
More than 100 specialists, including artisan bakers, consultants, suppliers, and lecturers, were asked to vote for their favourite artisan bakeries to choose the Bakers’ Dozen.
Aidan Monks, co-owner of Lovingly Artisan Bakery, based in Kendal, said: ”We were totally shocked to be included in the top 13 let alone being voted the UK’s number one artisan bakery.
“Being named in the top spot is even more special for us knowing that our industry peers have voted for us. Hopefully the fact that we are trying to create the very best bread we can using the finest ingredients available and to put quality, wholesome, healthy breads at the heart of every family table again, has really resonated with them because it’s exactly what they are trying to do too.”
Amy North, British Baker editor, added: ”The Bakers’ Dozen celebrates the best of the best. Each bakery on the list has been recognised by others in the industry as a beacon of dedication, passion, and skill, as demonstrated through lovingly handcrafted products and the people who make them.”
An artisan bakery is where baked goods – such as sourdough, bread, buns, pastries, and cakes and more – are made by skilled bakers by hand, often utilising longer and more traditional processes. Quality of ingredients and the end products are high on the agenda, and as a result, artisan bakeries typically only have a handful of sites.
