Jennie’s Diner and Bakery is competing to be Canada’s Sweetest Bakery, but they need your votes.
This is the third year the local business has been nominated for the honour.
Owner Jennie Hamel believes a change in the contest, which breaks up competitors by province and category, could give them an edge this time around.
“It’s really hard to compete against those guys across the board… I’m liking to think this year we might have a fighting chance to be in the contending top,” she exclaimed.
The three categories businesses are competing in include cake and cupcake shop, donut shop, or full line bakery. Provinces are broken up into regions, with awards being handed out in each category and an overall winner named the best in the country.
In August, the top 20 results are released to let businesses know where they fall on the list.
Simply being nominated is an amazing feeling for Hamel.
“It’s kind of like when we got nominated for Alberta Business of the Year. It’s just that recognition that you’re doing something right, that someone out there is saying they appreciate what you’re doing.”
She added, “We have a lot of people that travel here for the bakery as a whole. They come to the diner for the food as well, so I think people have a good response if we can just let them know to vote so that we can win.”
Along with their signature cupcakes, Jennie’s also offers cakes, cookies, and cake balls.
An important aspect for Hamel is to offer options for customers who have allergies, because “everybody should get to have a sweet.”
“We had a young lady come in at a minute to eight to get her vegan mac and cheese and cupcakes because this is the only place that she can get vegan desserts. For her, that’s huge, and she’s willing to travel and make it here before the doors actually lock.”
The support from the area since they opened five years ago, has blown Hamel away, and she hopes that will translate into the contest when it comes to votes.
“We love this community, and they support us to the extent through five years with a recession, government, and our road being tore up again this year. That people are willing to make that trek and come support us is huge,” she expressed.
Voting ends Sept. 30, and can be done via text message or at sweetestbakeryincanada.com. For more information, visit the website.
