Scottish Bakers’ Conference 2026: Everything We Learned from Scotland’s Award-Winning Bakeries
From pistachio pastries and loaded cookies to nostalgic traybakes and premium doughnuts, the Scottish Bakers Conference and Awards 2026 highlighted the trends driving bakery innovation. Keep reading to discover what caught our attention.
by Toni Dunleavy
08 June 2026
What We Learned at the Scottish Bakers Conference & Awards 2026
At Keylink, we relish supporting bakeries, chocolatiers and food businesses with not only ingredients, but inspiration, insight and expertise. That is why attending the Scottish Bakers Conference and Awards 2026 in Glasgow, hosted by Edith Bowman, was a much-anticipated event in our diary! Our congratulations go to Inverness-based Harry Gow, who won the prestigious Scottish Baker of the Year!
The event brought together some of Scotland’s most respected bakeries, suppliers and industry professionals, celebrating the products, flavours and bakery businesses shaping the market right now. From indulgent stuffed cookies and pistachio pastries to nostalgic empire biscuits and loaded doughnuts, one thing was clear: customers are craving comfort, creativity and premium flavour experiences.
Gail Gilmour, Keylink Key Account Manager says, “”I always leave the Scottish Baker of the Year Awards feeling proud to work in such a passionate, supportive and innovative industry. Seeing the quality of products, creativity and dedication on display is incredibly inspiring. It’s also a great opportunity to meet new people, introduce them to Keylink, and share ideas on how we can help them stay ahead of trends and create exciting products for their customers.”
So, what were those need-to-know trends and how can you use them in your business?
The Bakery Trends We Saw Everywhere
Across the award-winning categories, several trends stood out strongly:
- Pistachio continues to dominate across bakery and sweet treats: everyone’s favourite nutty flavour is going nowhere!
- Nostalgia-led products remain hugely popular, especially empire biscuits, caramel shortbread and classic doughnuts
- Premium cookies and loaded bakes are continuing to grow in popularity
- Bakery businesses are blending indulgence with social media appeal. Think gooey, chocolate-loaded TikTok reveals and real-time audience feedback
- Customers are looking for products that feel handmade, generous and memorable
There was also strong interest in Keylink’s milk chocolate chunks, pistachio spreads and decorative finishes, including shavings and curls, showing growing demand for products that help bakeries create visually impactful and indulgent products quickly and consistently.
Beyond Ingredients
One of the strongest themes throughout the event was community. Speakers discussed how bakeries are built on memories, storytelling and emotional connection, something we see every day through our customers.
We know that bakery businesses need more than supply. They need:
- Consistent products they can trust
- Technical support and application knowledge
- Trend insight and inspiration
- Flexible product options across multiple price points
- A partner who understands the realities of bakery production
That’s why we work closely with bakeries of all sizes, helping them develop products that balance creativity, efficiency and commercial success.
Three Bakery Applications Inspired by the Winners
Loaded Stuffed Cookies
Stuffed cookies and premium cookie sandwiches appeared repeatedly throughout the awards and conversations at the event.
Use: Milk chocolate chunks, Pistachio spreads, Chocolate curls or shavings and Bakestable drops
Perfect for:
- Counter displays
- Limited edition flavours
- Social media-driven launches
Premium Doughnuts & Morning Goods
Award-winning doughnuts, pain suisse, cinnamon buns and Danish pastries highlighted continued demand for indulgent laminated bakery.
Try incorporating:
- Chocolate fillings
- Pistachio cream
- Decorative finishes
- Caramel inclusions
Nostalgic Traybakes & Biscuits
Empire biscuits, caramel shortbread and old-school bakery flavours were everywhere throughout the awards. Nostalgic and comfort bakes are definitely worth leaning into!
This creates opportunities to modernise classics using:
Three Flavour Combinations to Inspire Your Next Launch
Pistachio, Milk Chocolate & Brown Butter
Inspired by the continued success of pistachio pastries, cookies and brownies.
Ideal for: Stuffed cookies, Croissants, Brownies and Layer cakes.
Caramel, Dark Chocolate & Sea Salt
A modern take on nostalgic caramel shortbread and chocolate biscuits.
Perfect for: Traybakes, Millionaires Slices, Cookie Sandwiches and Doughnuts.
Raspberry, White Chocolate & Cardamom
A more premium flavour profile inspired by bakery’s growing interest in layered flavour combinations.
Great for: Danish pastries, Blondies, Tartlets and Celebration cakes.
Looking Ahead
The Scottish Bakers event reinforced something we at Keylink know to be true: bakery customers are looking for products and suppliers that help them stand out whilst still delivering comfort, quality and consistency.
Because great bakery products are not just about taste. They are about memories, creativity and bringing people together.
You can browse the full Keyink collection of inclusions and decoration products here. And if you’re a bakery looking for support beyond product supply, get in touch – we love a good chat about trends, uplevelling your bakes and industry insights!
Toni is our Product Development Manager and job-share’s the Marketing Manager role 2 days a week. She loves breakfast, coffee, books, plants, art galleries/museums and classical music.
Her favourite product is the versatile Keylink Pistachio 15% spread.