Deadline to enter: 12:00am EST, March 1, 2022

Best Kind Bakehouse of Vancouver, B.C., last year's winner of the Inspirational Bakery Contest, caught the judges' attention with its feel-good origin story. After being laid off from their jobs due to the pandemic, bighearted owners Mark and Carly Burton steadily built a baking business that started with handing out loaves to friends and neighbours during the pandemic. The bakery has a low footprint, delivering to local areas around Vancouver, or preparing them for curbside pickup. They bake in small batches, eliminate food waste by taking orders online prior to baking day and support local.

"We are tied to the community and we are tied to ingredients that grow here, they are the things that will grow best," Mark told us in their cover story last July.

Inspired by Best Kind's story? Enter the Jake the Baker Inspirational Bakery of the Year contest and your bakery could be in the limelight providing inspiration to fellow bakeries!

What inspires you, in the kitchen and in your community? What sets your bakery apart? What did you do that put a smile on a customer or neighbour's face?

Founding Sponsor, Ardent Mills and Bakers Journal want to hear from bakeries all across Canada.

The start of a new year is the perfect time to jot down some notes on why your bakery is an inspiration to you and those around you. Send in your entry as soon as you get a break in the action!

Tell us YOUR heartwarming story highlighting your community involvement, creativity and innovation! Don't be shy: For every entry received, Bakers Journal and founding sponsor Ardent Mills will donate $50 to Food Banks Canada.

Enter by March 1, 2022, and you could win a trip to Bakery Showcase April 10-11, 2022, to accept the award and enjoy all the excitement and networking opportunities that come with the Baking Association of Canada's key in-person industry event.

Your bakery also will be featured in a cover story in Bakers Journal and be read across Canada. You can't beat that kind of promotion!

Good luck!