Scottish Bakers’ annual conference – held in Glasgow over the weekend (5-6 May) – saw Mimi’s Bakehouse fight off stiff competition to take the title; the launch of a government-backed fund to support the sector with reformulation; and a warning to ignore...
The ‘Forward Together’ programme tackles a number of key issues affecting the sector today, including resilience and creativity during what has been the toughest trading period in history; the importance of training and especially apprenticeships; and...
After five years in the hot seat, Alasdair Smith has gained unique insight into what he considers ‘an incredibly noble and proud trade and one that’s got an amazing sense of fellowship’. Before he takes his final bow at the Scottish Baker of the Year...
CEO Alasdair Smith has strong words for the Scottish Government over its delay in confirming funding for new apprenticeship starts, calling it ‘inexcusable and ‘bad for business’. More worryingly, he is concerned it could signal a withdrawal of vital...
I was once again honoured to be invited to be part of that troupe, which had the task to scrutinise, scratch, sniff, scrunch and savour 630 treats from 70 master bakers from all corners of Scotland.
Trade groups like Craft Bakers Association, Scottish Bakers and Federation of Bakers have welcomed the UK Baking Industry Code of Practice (CoP) for the Labelling of Sourdough Bread and Rolls. The Real Bread Campaign, on the other hand, remains highly...
Scottish Bakers, Federation of Bakers, Craft Bakers Association, ABIM and UKAPY have sent a letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt, urging him to review his ‘new’ Energy Bills Discount Scheme.
The National Food & Drink Training (NFDT) - Scottish Bakers' training arm - has partnered with the UK retailer to run apprenticeship training in its from-scratch bakeries instore.
Scottish Bakers has ‘tentatively welcomed’ the Governments’ Energy Bills Discount Scheme for businesses due to roll out on 1 April, but said it is concerned it ‘could still spell disaster for many small businesses’.
With high energy costs, increasing ingredient prices and labour shortages continuing into 2023, manufacturers and industry are urging the government to step in and support.
Scottish Bakers recently hosted Mairi Gougeon MSP, Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, to discuss the most pressing issues impacting the sector, and has inducted Andrew Chisholm, Chloe Milne and Shirley Simson to its board to help...
Scottish Bakers, Food and Drink Federation Scotland, Scottish Retail Consortium and UKHospitality Scotland are among the 19 industry bodies to have jointly written to Scotland’s Deputy First Minister and Interim Finance Secretary John Swinney MSP, asking...
The government’s intervention to help halt spiralling costs has been cautiously welcomed … however, heavy energy users like bakeries are still facing a tough winter, already paying more than double, and as the cap is only for six months, this makes planning...
War, drought, swine fever and virus-related labour shortages – notwithstanding the increasing demand from the biofuel industry – have placed immense pressure on the edible oils industry, resulting in a much decreased supply and soaring prices around the...
National Food and Drink Training (NFDT) – the training arm of Scottish Bakers – has been accredited to the matrix Standard, which recognises the quality of its apprenticeship programmes and skills courses to meet the needs of an increasingly complex landscape.
Alasdair Smith, CEO of Scottish Bakers, believes it’s a most rewarding pathway for young people entering a new profession, for someone wanting to change careers or for an entrepreneur keen on starting their own venture.
The highly regarded Scottish Baker of the Year competition kicked off on 3 February with five City of Glasgow final year bakery students going head-to-head to create Scotland on a Cake to illustrate the creativity of the industry.
From the UK’s best bakes, we reveal the winners that took the cake at the dazzling events ceremony hosted by Strictly Come Dancing’s Craig Revel Horwood at the Royal Lancaster in London on 21 October.
The association celebrated its 130th anniversary at the Baking Industry Awards 2021, which saw Stephens Bakery swoop up the title of Craft Bakery Business.
Scottish Bakers has confirmed the World Championship Scotch Pie Awards is back in full swing after its COVID-impacted hiatus, and is calling for entries to root out pie perfection.
Scottish Bakers’ specialist training arm – National Food and Drink Training (NFDT) – has renewed its contract with Skills Development Scotland (SDS), which will enable it to register 481 apprentices during 2021-22.
Scottish Bakers is calling on government for additional support after a survey conducted amongst its members last month revealed the harsh impact of coronavirus.
To celebrate the UK’s 2021 National Pie Week (1-7 March), online UK butcher Eat Great Meat analysed the most searched for pies by the nation over the past year.
The national association – which has protected the interests of Scotland’s bakery trade for nearly 130 years – has sworn in Linda Hill from Murrays Bakers of Perth as president, and confirms its stance to help combat the spread of coronavirus.
The Scottish bakers association has released a best practice guide to help bakers reopen or increase their activities safely as lockdown measures start to ease.
Scottish Bakers has welcomed the four month extension of the UK government’s furlough scheme, which ought to relieve some pressure for struggling small to medium-sized bakery businesses in Scotland hard hit by the coronavirus outbreak.
