MOUNT Gambier bakery Sugar N Spice and All Things Nice has shown it is not only local customers that love its products, but also judges at a national level.
Operators have returned from Australia’s Best Pie and Pastie Competition in Brisbane as the most awarded bakery at the event.
The bakery won 14 silver medals and eight bronze against 1700 entries from around the country, gaining 22 placings out of 23 entries.
Sugar N Spice and All Things Nice co-owner Victor Wearne said the key to success was using fresh and local produce.
“Local produce makes a good pie and pastie, we get our meat freshly ground every day from our local butcher and fresh fruit and vegetables from She’s Apples – you cannot beat it,” Mr Wearne said.
“You also need good pastry too and we do not cut any corners.”
Bakeries were required to enter three pastries judged on pastry, filling, visual appeal and smell.
“Because we make so many, we do not just make them for a competition – we pull them out of production, so it is the same stuff we make every day,” Mr Wearne said.
Following the national competition held in Brisbane, the bakery also competed at the Victorian competition held in Geelong, where their popular pastries were also a success.
Mr Wearne and his wife Tania have owned the business for nearly five years and have been working in the industry since 2006.
“The bakery only did cakes when we first started and had only one full-time employee,” he said.
“Now we have three full-time girls and three part-time, in addition to my wife and I.”
The bakery is now preparing for the next competition held in Mildura next month, where it will compete for the best vanilla slice.
