Bells of Lazonby triumph at the Cumbria Family Business Awards

Bells of Lazonby triumphed at the Cumbria Family Business Awards, winning The Outstanding Family Business of the Year and Food & Drink Producer of the year.

The glitzy award ceremony, hosted by Cumbrian born-and-bred Hairy Biker, David Myers was held at Castle Green Hotel in Kendal.

The awards are a new initiative for 2017, organised by Janett Walker of ‘Make it Happen’, Sue Coulson of Coulson Associates and Sophia Newton, ‘The Good News Girl’, to recognise the region’s most successful family businesses.

Graham Lamont, Chair of the Judging Panel said: “Bells of Lazonby were worthy, clear winners from a very strong shortlist of the good and the great of Cumbrian business.”

Another judge and founder of Family Business United, Paul Andrews added: “Bells of Lazonby is a fantastic business and great ambassadors for Cumbria too!”

In 2016, the bakery celebrated its 70^th anniversary and has grown substantially over the last five years.

£1.5m of profits have been reinvested into the business to develop their processes and facilities further within the past two years alone.

The firm employs around 275 people from the local area and provides excellent training schemes and apprenticeship programmes to consistently develop the skills set of their staff.

Bells continuously innovate, having their own in-house development kitchen, as well as a dedicated New Product Development team who create products, ahead of the curve.

The judges recognised Bells of Lazonby as “breaking new ground with bucket loads of innovation”

“They are loyal to Cumbria and take pride in their place but are not limited by it, they think on a big scale whilst remaining true to their family values and heritage

“They would be the pride of any county” they added.

The awards were a resounding success in lifting the profile of Cumbrian Family Businesses.

On Twitter, the event’s hashtag #CFBA2017 trended third in the UK at the height of the evening – helping to put Cumbria on the map.

Michael Bell, Managing Director at Bells of Lazonby is delighted to receive the award, he said: “I feel incredibly humbled by this award and I am immensely proud of all of our fantastic employees who have made Bells of Lazonby what it is today.

“We love our Cumbrian roots and the heritage in our region of brilliant family businesses. I am delighted this has been recognised at the Cumbrian Family Business Awards”

Bells of Lazonby will now go forward into the National Family Business Awards being held in London, later in the year.