The announcement was made at the IGA Retailer of the Year Awards which were held at an IGA conference at Hamilton Island recently.

There were about 55 stores competing for the award.

The award was not only for good service, quality and variety of products and presentation, but also for hygiene, cleanliness and the bakery’s financial performance.

IGA business managers and bakery specialists choose the winner of the award.

The State award follows on from the award for IGA Bakery Retailer of the Year for the Western Region, which the bakery manager, Francis Cook and baker, John Nemeth, from Khan’s in Lightning Ridge won in February.

Ms Cook and Mr Nemeth had been finalists in the regional competition in 2009 but were not triumphant.

As a result of their success at State level, Ms Cook and Mr Nemeth will now be in the running for national IGA Bakery Retailer of the Year.

Ms Cook, who has worked at the bakery at Khan’s in Lightning Ridge for many years, says she and Mr Nemeth were very pleased to have won the award.

Mr Nemeth had not worked as a baker prior to his employment at Khan’s in Lightning Ridge around Easter last year; however, he used to work as a chef in Sydney.

Mr Nemeth is very confident of success in the national competition.

Ms Cook said the bakery’s customers were always commenting about how good everything looked and the wide variety of baked goods available.

Ms Cook said she hoped the residents of Lightning Ridge would be happy the bakery at Khan’s had done so well.