Baking the future: How one of Northern Ireland’s longest-established bakeries is evolving while staying true to its 70-year history including its 'time-honoured recipes'

In 2022, I had the privilege of taking ownership of the Corner Bakery in Cookstown, one of Northern Ireland’s longest-established bakeries.

This bakery has been a staple in the community for over 70 years and was owned by the Turkington and Anderson family. I had the unique opportunity to purchase it from my friend Tim, whose grandparents, David and Lily, founded the bakery in 1951.

Originally from West Belfast, I come from a background in education and digital marketing, so this transition into the world of baking was both a challenge and an exciting new chapter. Over the past few years, I’ve invested significantly in Corner Bakery, not just in terms of modernizing our processes and upgrading our facilities, but also in launching a fresh, new visual identity that reflects the bakery’s rich history while positioning it for future growth.

At the heart of our success is a simple yet powerful principle: our customers love our traditional, delicious recipes that have been passed down through generations. Those time-honoured recipes remain unchanged, and we take great pride in maintaining the quality and consistency that our customers have come to expect. Every item we make is crafted with care, using the very best local ingredients, and we continue to deliver the same great taste that has made us a trusted name for decades.

Corner Bakery isn't just a local bakery...it’s a recipe of success! We’ve even expanded our reach far beyond our Cookstown base. We have a bustling in-store bakery and deli counter, but we also deliver a wide range of home-baked goods to over 100 stores and businesses across Northern Ireland, including notable partners like the Henderson Group.

Our secret to success? It’s simple: our team. We have a highly experienced and passionate group of people who share my commitment to quality, service, and innovation. Together, we work hard every day to ensure that every product that leaves our bakery meets the high standards our customers have come to know and love.

We offer a growing selection of more than 200 product lines, all freshly baked each day. From oven breads, yeast loaves and hot plate items to cakes, traybakes, and pastries, there’s something for everyone. And it’s not just about what we bake; it’s about the experience.

We’ve recently introduced an online ordering platform, making it easier for our customers to get their hands on our delicious products. And we’re always coming up with fun, themed treats throughout the year. Our Christmas Eve Boxes were a huge hit, and we’re already gearing up to launch our Mother’s Day hampers – stay tuned for that!

The response from our loyal customers, as well as the retail outlets we supply, has been overwhelmingly positive. We’re continuing to grow, and I’m committed to ensuring that growth continues.

My focus now is on expanding the commercial side of the business, particularly by increasing the number of outlets we supply across Northern Ireland. We’ve got big plans ahead, and I couldn’t be more excited about the future.

As we continue this journey, we remain rooted in the same values that made Corner Bakery such an iconic name in Northern Ireland. If you haven’t yet experienced the Corner Bakery difference, I invite you to visit us or check out our website at www.cornerbakery.uk for more information.

Here’s to many more years of baking tradition and innovation.