Murrays Bakers was presented with the Craft Baker of the Year award after winning one of four new customer choice categories in the annual Scottish Baker awards.
More than 14,000 bakery customers across Scotland have been voting these past few weeks for their favourite in the Scottish Baker of the Year Customer Choice Awards, in four categories: Wholesale Baker of the Year, Retail Craft Baker of the Year, Bakery Cafe of the Year and Craft Baker of the Year.
But the search for the Craft Baker of the Year 2020/21 culminated in a win for Perth-based Murrays Bakers, which received more than 500 votes in the category.
Managing director Linda Hall received the news of the award win a surprise video call.
This shows how much customers mean to our bakers! Congratulations Craft Baker winner Murrays Bakers! 🎉. Thanks to category sponsor @clydesdalebank & our awards partner @BAKO_NW
Read more 👉 https://t.co/oxgxwIGXRa pic.twitter.com/SNJIhMOCt1
— ScottishBakersAwards (@ScotBakerAwards) July 10, 2020
Linda said: “That’s fantastic! I am so so chuffed, thank you! Coming after such a really great re-opening that has made my day. Just wait till I tell the staff!
“After such a tough few months, it is beyond wonderful to know that so many of our customers rate us their favourite Craft Baker.
“We are really touched so thanks to everyone who took the time to vote for us and we are looking forward to continuing to serve our community with freshly baked, quality produce for many more years to come.”
The industry body Scottish Bakers runs its awards annually to help find the best bakers in Scotland. This year’s competition began just before the nation went into lockdown, which sparked the creation of its first-ever customer choice awards.
Other winners were Mimi’s Bakehouse in Edinburgh for Bakery Cafe, Aulds won the Retail Craft Baker awards, and Stornoway-based Stag Bakeries took home Wholesale Baker of the Year.
Alasdair Smith of Scottish Bakers said: “We are delighted to have been able to give the public a say in 2020 with our new Customer Choice awards.
“It was a great opportunity for Scottish bakers to reach out to their customers and communities and get people buzzing about great, traditional Scottish baking. Murrays are a worthy winner of the Customer Choice Craft Baker of the Year award, sponsored by Clydesdale Bank.”
Scottish Bakers ambassador Mich Turner MBE said: “It’s not just for our daily bread that we rely on our local bakers and who doesn’t love a tasty treat, perfect pie or super sausage roll so to be able to celebrate the success of our winners today is wonderful?
“I am delighted to announce the winners today and bring some sense of celebration back to the great Scottish Bakers family. And as lockdown eases, we’re asking consumers everywhere, if you haven’t shopped in your local baker for a while, perhaps now is the time to pay a visit and try some of their fantastic fresh bakes.
“Each product you buy helps recognise the hard work and skill of your favourite local baker and to help their businesses bounce back.”
