Two Tasty Careers Ambassadors – Ella Muddiman and Naomi Spaven – have taken their passion for baking to the next level, helping launch three festive products into the BAKO Select range as part of the inaugural Young Bakers Initiative.
A collaboration between @BAKO, @Coleg Cambria, and @Wrights (part of The Compleat Food Group), the initiative was designed to connect education with industry and give young bakers real-world experience in New Product Development (NPD). As ambassadors for Tasty Careers, Ella and Naomi were the perfect candidates to lead the way, bringing creativity, professionalism, and a deep commitment to inspiring others.
Working from a live NPD brief, the pair developed both sweet and savoury festive products for Christmas 2025. Their final creations include:
- ☕ Irish Coffee Slice – coffee caramel with Irish liqueur cream
- 🍒 Black Forest Slice – a modern twist on the classic
- 🥧 Festive Slice – puff pastry filled with chicken, stuffing, cranberries, and brie
From college bakery trials to adapting recipes for large-scale production at Wrights, Ella and Naomi gained hands-on experience in costings, consistency, and commercial viability. They also contributed to product photography and sales presentations, seeing their ideas through every stage of the journey.
Naomi, last year’s BIA Rising Star Award winner, said:
“I really want young people to see that there are so many different career paths in baking- from artisan bakeries to large-scale production and NPD.”
Ella, a finalist in this year’s awards, added:
“To know that something I helped create will be on sale this Christmas is just incredible. It proves young bakers really can make a difference.”
As Tasty Careers Ambassadors, both are passionate about showing students what’s possible in the food and drink industry, and this initiative proves just that. A percentage of profits from the new products will be reinvested into a dedicated Young Bakers Fund, ensuring future students have the same opportunity to shine.
Coleg Cambria’s involvement in this project reflects their broader commitment to nurturing food and drink talent in Wales. The college plays a key role in delivering the Tasty Challenge – an enterprise and employability competition for Welsh Baccalaureate students. The challenge helps learners explore careers in the sector while developing creativity, teamwork, and digital literacy.
Kate Muddiman, Work-based Learning Manager at Coleg Cambria, is central to this work, judging and mentoring students through the challenge and supporting their journey from classroom to career. Her guidance has helped shape the next generation of talent, including Ella and Naomi, who continue to inspire others as both students and ambassadors.
📖 Read more in British Baker’s coverage