Stratford’s store The Baking Company wins Central Taranaki Regional Top Shop Award

L-r: The Baking Company co-owners Graeme Cawsey and Cameron Thompson with Daniel Fuemana from category sponsor WITT/Te Pukenga.

The team at The Baking Company have the recipe for success, coming home from Saturday night’s WITT Top Shop gala awards evening with two awards.

The store, which first opened in Stratford in late 2018, was named winner of the Food and Beverage – Take Out award category at this year’s WITT Top Shop awards and was also named the Central Taranaki Regional Award winner.

Co-owners Cameron Thompson and Graeme Cawsey were at the awards evening, along with nearly all of their staff.

“It is great to celebrate this with the team, of which only four couldn’t come tonight, as it’s thanks to them and our customers that we are able to do all this,” said Cameron.

“We have got to the finals a few times before but never won, so it was absolutely amazing to win this year, and then to win the Central Taranaki Top Shop award as well, it is something really special for Graeme, myself and all our team.”

That team has grown since the store first opened he said, and so has the business.

“We started with the Regan Street shop and it was just Graeme, myself and one other person. Now we have two stores in Stratford with the Regan one still going plus a second one on Broadway South, and we have around 15 people working across the two shops now.”

Also busy celebrating on the night where the team from New Plymouth boutique jewellery store Studio 18, which was named winner of the Supreme Top Shop award on the night as well as also winning the Specialty Store Award and the North Taranaki Regional Award.

Supreme Winner Studio 18 (l-r) Susan Kiser, Carole Morgan (owner), Traceylee Cottam and Olivia Hall (from category sponsor WITT/Te Pukenga).

The South Taranaki Regional Award winner was Hello You in Hāwera which also won the Fashion, Footwear and Accessories Award for the second year running.

A new award of Service Person of the Year was introduced at this year’s awards, going to Brenda Jury from Acquisitions in Centre City.

The category winners are:

Fashion, Footwear and Accessories Winner: Hello You.

Lifestyle, Leisure and Health Winner: The Floatation Sanctuary. Highly Commended: Down to Earth Organics, Poppies Bookshop.

Accessibility Winner: Vivian Pharmacy. Highly Commended: Specsavers

Hair and Beauty Winner: Lola Hair Studio. Highly Commended: Mane Street Hair, The Beauty Colab

Home and Furnishings Winner: Mee O Mi. Highly Commended: Belhams Interiors

Food and Beverage – Eat In Winner: Festoon. Highly Commended: Kitchen Table

Food and Beverage – Take Out Winner: The Baking Company. Highly Commended: Surf n Turf Takeaways

Specialty Store Winner: Studio 18

Service Person of the Year Winner: Brenda Jury of Acquisitions