Maclean's Highland Bakery wins three prizes including Gold at World Championship Scotch Pie Awards
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A LOCAL baker won three prizes at the 22nd World Championship Scotch Pie Awards - including a Gold.
The winners were announced by TV star Carole Smilie during a ceremony at the Westerwood Hotel, Cumbernauld on Tuesday, January 18, including Maclean's Highland Bakery's macaroni pie which took Bronze, Silver for its fajita beef pie in the Hot Savoury section and Gold for traditional national favourite, the Scotch pie.
Managing director Lewis Maclean confirmed his staff enjoyed pies, beans and chips while watching the event on the big screen at their bakery on Greshop Industrial Estate.
He said: "I'm really pleased for the staff who make our savoury products. All of them have worked through two challenging years during the covid pandemic so these wins reflect their commitment and high standard of work that is appreciated by our customers."
He added: "We have our own butchery department and buy our meat fresh from Millers of Speyside, Grantown. Because we prepare the cuts ourselves, we control exactly what’s in our pies.
"Maclean's offer a great variety of fresh savoury products. Only this afternoon, we were deliberating over which flavour to rest and which new one to bring in. It's a really hard decision as each product is someone’s favourite!"
Pie awards organisers, Scottish Bakers, has been supporting the country's trade for over 130 years by representing and advising to ensure the industry remains competitive.
The World Championship Scotch Pie Awards recognise and celebrate excellence in the sector every year. Maclean's won the main title in 2003 and Murdoch Brothers Butchers seven years later.
The event recognises excellence in the production of the perfect pie via 11 categories including Football Pies and Savouries, Macaroni Pie, Steak Pie, Sausage Roll, Cold Savoury, Hot Savoury, Vegetarian Savoury, Haggis Savoury, Bridie and Apple Pies.
The annual judging day saw over 70 butchers and bakers enter more than 400 of the nation’s best pies for judging by over 50 experts in their field.
Chief Executive of Scottish Bakers, Alasdair Smith, runs the competition on behalf of the bakery and butchery trades.
He said: "Maclean's Highland Bakery can be rightly very proud of their achievements. To win is no small feat and to know that every winning product was lovingly made from scratch from locally sourced ingredients, freshly made daily by skilled craftspeople just goes to show the skill, creativity and hard work of every entrant."