Lovingly Artisan Bakery in Kendal, Cumbria, has won the jackpot scooping the coveted title of Retailer of the Year at Farm Shop & Deli Awards 2024, as well as the Baker of the Year and North England regional winner accolades.
Lovingly Artisan Bakery in Kendal, Cumbria, has beaten competition from across the UK and Northern Ireland to be named Retailer of the Year at the 2024 Farm Shop & Deli Retailer Awards, in partnership with The Grocer and championed by Fieldfare.
Following a comprehensive judging process, the acclaimed bakery also scooped Baker of the Year and the gong for North England regional winner at the Awards ceremony on Monday 29th April at the annual Farm Shop & Deli Show, NEC Birmingham. The Awards saw 11 category winners, seven regional winners, Newcomer of the Year and Retailer of the Year revealed to an audience comprising fellow finalists as well as show visitors and exhibitors, all there to cheer on the proceedings.
The judges praised Lovingly Artisan Bakery highly, with comments including:
“Innovative business methods, knowledgeable and passionate staff, fantastic turnover. Strong brand identity on website, fabulous subscription boxes online and high following on Instagram. Love the bread truck concept. Great entry!”
“This excellent bakery has innovation with its new wood chip oven which has increased turnover and, because of this, they have a good carbon footprint. I like their bread van. Mobile shop idea going to Farmers Markets. Lovely to see crusty loaves of bread on display in their shop.”
Also worthy of praise is The Cheesy Living Co. from Leeds in the North England region, who scooped the 2024 Newcomer of the Year award. Across some categories this year, contention for the award was so close that judges decided to award Highly Commended to some of our finalists. Take a look at the list of winners and Highly Commended at the end of the release.
More about the judging process
A team of leading experts judged the entries online before coming together last November to deliberate and shortlist the contenders. During January and February secret visits took place before the winners, and overall Retailer of the Year, were decided.
The coveted accolades celebrate the best specialist independent retailers with judges recognising retailers’ achievements in the independent sector.
Nigel Barden, Chairman of Judges and Food and Drink Journalist and Broadcaster, says: “With food and drink retailers being busy people I’m always delighted they find time to enter the Farm Shop & Deli Awards and it’s gratifying to know that the awards are held in such high esteem. The quality of our judges certainly helps, particularly as a good number of them are former Retailers of the Year, so right at the top of their game and also because much time is spent visiting our shortlisted entrants.
I’m delighted we’ve awarded category and regional winners, and this year’s Retailer of the Year has also picked up the accolades of Best Baker and Best Retailer in the North of England. Aidan Monks has been baking for 35 years and the Kendal and Altrincham bakeries that he and Catherine Connor, his wife, run, are sublime, as are the team who work with them. Such worthy champions, joining a select band of previous Retailers of the Year. It was also marvelous to see such a wide ranging and talented shortlist for our Newcomer of the Year award, with The Cheesy Living Co, based inside the Corn Exchange in Leeds, coming out on top. All in all another year of fabulous entries, reflecting how vibrant the artisan food and drink retail sector is.”
Award champions Fieldfare extend their support
This year the Awards are championed by Fieldfare, a family owned business based in Kent that started over 40 years ago. Fieldfare supplies delicious premium loose frozen food to farm shops, garden centres and independent stores across the UK and a perfect partner for the Retailer Awards.
Following the success of the 2024 Retailer Awards, we’re excited to announce Fieldfare will be championing the Awards for the next three years and we hear why from Matt Whelan, Managing Director at Fieldfare; “It is an honour to be involved in these important awards and to meet so many of the incredibly passionate and dedicated people behind the businesses that entered this year. We have been impressed by the exceptionally high quality of the entries and look forward to supporting our industry colleagues by continuing to champion the Farm Shop and Deli Retail Awards again next year, and beyond.”
Farm Shop & Deli Awards 2024 – full list of category and regional winners and highly commended finalists.
Baker, North England regional winner and Retailer of the Year:
Lovingly Artisan Bakery, Kendal
Highly Commended Baker: Sett Valley Cafe Ltd, High Peak
Butcher:
Roast Mutton, Kendal
Cheesemonger and South England regional winner:
Cheese Etc, Reading
Delicatessen and Anglia regional winner:
The Norfolk Delicatessen, Hunstanton
Highly Commended Delicatessen: Forest Deli, Coleford
Farm Shop – Large and Midlands regional winner:
Welbeck Farm Shop, Worksop
Highly Commended Farm Shop Large: Forage Farm Shop & Kitchen, Cowbridge and High Street Harvest, Craigavon
Farm Shop – Small:
Sky Park Farm, West Harting
Highly Commended Farm Shop Small: Quayside Fresh, Looe
Fishmonger:
Bells fishmongers, Carlisle
Highly Commended Fishmonger: Off The Hook, Wadebridge
Food Hall:
Macknade Food Hall, Faversham
Greengrocer:
The Greengrocer Thirsk Ltd, Thirsk
Independent local shop/Village store:
Bulwick Village Shop/The Pickled Shop, Bulwick, Corby
Online Business:
Bay's Kitchen, Cheltenham
Newcomer:
The Cheesy Living Co., Leeds
Northern Ireland winner:
High Street Harvest, Craigavon
Scotland regional winner:
Marshall's Farm Shop, Aberdeen
Wales Regional winner:
Forage Farm Shop & Kitchen, Cowbridge
Take a look at all the winners here.
