Cumbrian businesses shine in national food awards

A bakery has been named the best in Cumbria in the National Bakery Awards.

Lovingly Artisan, based near Kendal, were named alongside 93 other county champions from across the UK.

The National Bakery Awards look to put the best bakery in the UK in the spotlight. Hundreds of entries were judged on their commitment to quality, customer service, innovation, and operational best practice across a number of business areas by a team of industry experts.

The winning county bakeries will be crowned at an event in London on Wednesday 12 July.

Regional winners will also be announced at the event, as well as, the National Bakery of the Year winner for 2023.

Commenting on their win, husband and wife Aidan Monks and Catherine Connor, owners and bakers at Lovingly Artisan, said: "Being named as the Best Bakery in Cumbria is fabulous news for the whole team.

"It shows that we are on the right track creating the best possible breads and pastries for our customers across the northwest from our Cumbrian bakery HQ."

A Cumbrian butcher has also won a national title as they were crowned Butcher of the Year in the Countryside Alliance Awards.

Roast Mutton, in Kendal, won the title at a ceremony at the House of Lords having already collected the north of England title.

The national butchery title is specifically designed to celebrate the butcher who provides that key link between local people and the farms and fields that surround them.

Roast Mutton’s owner Robert Unwin commented: "I’d like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to everyone who voted for me. We are over the moon, and it still hasn’t really sunk in.

"We all care about what we do, and this recognises what we wanted to try and achieve for our customers. We care about what we source, how it’s reared and where we source our produce from, we go to great lengths to get to know each and every farmer we work with, many of whom can be found within a 20-mile radius of the shop.

"Each and every one of them is as passionate as we are about creating high quality, great tasting and ethically reared produce. And what’s clear from this award is that our customers care about where there food comes from too and that means the world to everyone involved, because that’s why we go to the lengths we do."

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