A Highland bakery has made Scottish baking history after being crowned Scottish Baker of the Year for a record third time. Family-run business Harry Gow secured the industry’s top honour at this year’s Scottish Baker of the Year awards in Glasgow, becoming the first bakery in Scotland to win the prestigious title on three separate occasions.
The annual awards celebrate excellence across Scotland’s baking industry, recognising outstanding craftsmanship, product quality, consistency and customer experience.
But the night proved even more significant for Harry Gow, which enjoyed its most successful awards ceremony to date after claiming five national “Best in Scotland” titles across multiple categories.
Among the bakery’s winning products were its Chocolate Caramel Shortbread, named Best Biscuit in Scotland, and the Lemon Meringue Pie Doughnut, which took the award for Best Doughnut in Scotland. The bakery also received honours for its Vanilla Raspberry Slice, Pain Suisse and Celebration Cake.
The awards highlight not only the popularity of the bakery’s products but also the work carried out behind the scenes by teams across the business.
Speaking after the ceremony, David Gow described the recognition as a proud moment for the family business.
“To receive these awards means a huge amount to us as a family business,” he said. “To be recognised not only as Scottish Baker of the Year again, but also across so many different product categories, is something the whole team should be incredibly proud of.”
He added that the company continues to build on the values established by his father, saying the business remains focused on maintaining “strong values and high standards” as it grows.
Founded in the Highlands, Harry Gow has expanded from a local bakery into one of Scotland’s best-known bakery brands, while maintaining strong ties to its Highland roots.
The company now operates 19 shops across the Highlands, with its products also stocked in selected Co-op stores and supermarkets throughout Scotland.
Fraser Gow said the latest awards reflected the efforts of staff across the organisation.
“Everyone sees the finished products in the shops, but there is an incredible amount of dedication behind the scenes to make that happen every single day,” he said.
