We won! BKRY is Pride of Reading’s Business in Action winner 2026. Thank you, Reading!

Award-Winning, Community-Made

BKRY wins Pride of Reading Business in Action (Under 50 Employees) 2026

On Friday night, BKRY was named the winner of the Pride of Reading Business in Action award for businesses with under 50 employees. We’re still a little bit giddy!

This award belongs to everyone who has ever walked through our door, ordered a cake, joined a class or cheered us on. Here’s a little bit more on how we got here.

What the award means

The Pride of Reading Awards celebrate the people, groups and businesses who make our town special. The Business in Action award, sponsored by Boyes Turner, recognises businesses that show a real commitment to working with their community, putting words into action and making a tangible difference to the people who support them. There are two awards, one for larger firms and one for businesses with under 50 employees, so to win the under-50 category as a small independent bakery is a huge honour.

BKRY was nominated for our dedicated work with No5, Reading’s young people’s counselling charity. To be recognised for the thing we care about most means the world to us.

From a bedroom to the high street

BKRY started in 2018 as a home bakery in a converted bedroom. Jo, our founder, was a primary school teacher who had been baking at home for years. She trained in patisserie at Reading College, gaining her Level 2 and Level 3 Patisserie and Confectionery qualifications, alongside her PME cake decorating courses.

In 2024, with very little investment and a lot of determination, we opened our shop in Caversham, along with our online shop and the BKRY Academy. Today we’re a team of bakers, baristas, sales assistants and teachers, and we’re still baking everything with the same care that went into those first orders.

There from the very beginning

Before we ever opened our doors in Caversham, there was Candi. She joined BKRY when it was still a home bakery, working alongside Jo in that converted bedroom. She helped build it, order by order, into the business it is today. Now our Director of Operations, Candi keeps BKRY running, and she’s Jo’s best friend too.

Candi has also been at the heart of our charity work. Drawing on her own personal experience of loss through suicide, she has helped shape our partnerships with local charities like No5. She brings honesty and understanding to the work we do together, and her openness has made those collaborations more meaningful and has helped so many people feel seen.

Business with a bigger purpose

We’ve always believed BKRY is about more than cake. That’s what this award recognises:

• Partnering with No5, teaching and fundraising to support young people’s mental health
• Training young people in-house, through Duke of Edinburgh awards, local secondary school work experience placements and Reading College work experience
• Kids’ classes and parties that build confidence, one cupcake at a time
• Corporate wellness baking sessions for local businesses
• Hosting run clubs and working alongside the Caversham Traders
• Sharing free cakes with the community through the Weller Centre

A note from Jo

“When I started baking in my spare bedroom, I never imagined this. I’m so proud of our team, especially Candi, who believed in BKRY before anyone else did. They are the heart of BKRY. And to our customers and community: thank you. You made this happen, and we’re just getting started.”

Come and celebrate with us

Pop into the shop in Caversham, order an award-winning Christmas cake or BKRYBox online, or book a class at the BKRY Academy. We can’t wait to bake for you.