Uncle John’s Bakery in London's N15 has been shortlisted for the Legacy Awards 2020 (Best Family Business) by The Small Awards UK organisation. This award recognises the unique characteristics, challenges and strengths of family-run small businesses, which Uncle John’s Bakery embodies.
The business will demonstrate involvement and contribution from family members as well as demonstrating business success over a period of time. The award is looking to celebrate unique stories from businesses that have worked as a team to achieve great things which has lead the Uncle John’s team to be shortlisted for this particular award.
Centred on Ghanaian baked goods created from family recipes, the signature bake, Uncle John’s Sweet Bread is what people travel across the world to buy and is undoubtedly the secret of their success for 25th year in the business.
Started in 1995 by John Mensah and his wife Emelia Mensah, Uncle John wanted to share his Mum’s, Nana Mary’s sweet bread recipe with the wider Afro- Caribbean community in London.
Twenty-five years later and Uncle John’s now prides itself on being the UK’s only specialist Ghanaian bakery selling a range of breads, doughnuts, cakes, pies and savory snacks all made from passed down Ghanaian family recipes. In recent years, John and Emelia have taken a step back from the frontline of the business. The business is now primarily run by second-generation members of the family – with their son, Sam Mensah stepping up as CEO.
With demand for their products continuing to increase, Uncle John’s is very much a bakery for everyone whose products are guaranteed to bring joy and flavour to anyone who tries them. Located in North London, all Uncle John’s baked goods are available to buy both in store and at select retailers nationwide and across Europe.
The Small Awards, launched in 2017, targets the whole small business sector focusing on businesses often overlooked by other awards. With 5.8 million small businesses in the UK, there are huge numbers of small businesses doing great things that may not be recognised by awards due to geography, scale or even awareness of the benefits such awards can bring. The Small Awards will change that by reaching out to a massive small business base that its management team have built up over many years working in the sector.
The Small Awards will take place on 3 September 2020 in central London and will be a glittering black tie dinner and event with small businesses, experts and luminaries coming together for a fantastic evening of awards, networking, food, drink and music where all finalists will be invited to The Small Awards dinner in London as guests of the Award to hear the winners announced live.
