Grasmere Gingerbread has won a top regional award.
The 170-year-old bakery and tourist attraction was crowned Speciality Food Retailer of the Year in the 2023/24 North of England Prestige Awards.
Prestige Awards – which operates globally – champions SMEs which are guided by a personalised service-driven ethos.
Co-director Joanne Hunter was praised by Osmaan Mahmood, Prestige CEO and founder.
He said: “Joanne has done an incredible job of protecting the secret recipe behind Grasmere Gingerbread which tastes unlike anything else in the world.”
Mr Mahmood, who judged this year’s entries, praised Joanne for not only safeguarding the heritage of The Grasmere Gingerbread Shop but for not compromising on the elements that make Grasmere Gingerbread unique.
Joanne, who was accompanied to the ceremony by her husband and fellow-co-director Andrew, said she was delighted if a little taken aback by Mr Mahmood’s glowing comments.
“I was very flattered but also relieved that he recognised the behind-the-scenes team effort that goes into making Grasmere Gingerbread so special and popular with our national and international customers,” she said.
Joanne and Andrew took over the business in 2000 when it employed just three members of staff.
“We have focused on sustainable growth and now employ 30 people across our bakery and shop operations in Grasmere, a growing e-commerce department and an expanding outside events programme,” she said.
Grasmere Gingerbread opened a second shop in Hawkshead last year to meet demand for its spicy-sweet cross between a biscuit and cake which is wrapped in traditional blue and white liveried parchment.
