The 2025 Entrants

Courtney Pyle nominated Aly after witnessing remarkable growth during her time at Pak ’n Save Riccarton. “Aly has shown determination and drive to succeed. Through her apprenticeship she has gained valuable knowledge and is now able to pass those skills on to others she works with.” Courtney believes that in the next two to five years, Aly has the potential not only to complete her apprenticeship but to step confidently into a leadership role. “She is driven to continually learn new skills and expand her knowledge. I see her being a positive influence on the bakery industry and the people around her.”

Aly began as a night packer, and just a few weeks later moved to morning shifts. A month after that, she stepped into decorating to cover for a colleague, spending about three months in that role before shifting to the dough area.

Aly says she began her apprenticeship two years ago with the goal of building a strong career in the baking industry—and she’s loving everything the training offers. “In two to five years, I see myself still learning all that this industry has to offer. I’m young, I love learning, and I know I still have a lot to experience before stepping into some of the bigger roles available in baking.”

Nominated by Lewis Dawson, Eric has been part of the QB Nelson team since 2017. During his time with the company, he has worked across all departments—from slicing to production—steadily developing his skills to an impressive level. Lewis notes, “Eric is currently our lead supervisor on the morning shift, and with his continued development, he has the potential to become the plant manager.”

Originally from Mauritius, Eric says that when he arrived in New Zealand nine years ago, he knew nothing about the bread industry. “I was a barman before coming here. I took the first job I could get in New Zealand, which was packing bread, and discovered I was really keen to learn and understand how to make bread. I am now a qualified baker after completing a three-year apprenticeship. My company has been very supportive throughout my learning. Winning the Quality Bakers Apprentice of the Year in 2024 was one of the highlights of my career. I learned so much competing against other bakers who also have a passion for baking.”

James was nominated by Josh David, who says he has an excellent understanding of the baking process from start to finish. “His skill set and experience allow him to confidently supervise and run both the bakehouse and slicing departments. James is very confident in his abilities to fix minor machinery issues to keep the plant running safely, helping prevent downtime and shortages to the market.” James is well respected on site, known for his strong relationships with staff and his experience as one of the team’s senior bakers.

James hopes to progress into senior management within the next three to five years, potentially into a supervisory or entry-level plant management role. “A health and safety or quality manager position interests me too.” He joined Quality Bakers straight out of high school. “I started out packing bread and worked in packing and dispatch for about three years. Two years after moving into the bakehouse, I began my apprenticeship. I’ve now been working in that department for seven years.”

James also serves as a health and safety representative for the site. When asked what he enjoys most about his role, he says being part of a strong team is a major highlight. “I also love making the artisan loaves. I’m fascinated by the technical side of baking. I want to be a site manager and dive deeper into the technical aspects, really understanding the science behind bread.”

Mavae was nominated for the competition by Nathan Roberts, who says he has shown remarkable growth since joining George Weston Foods. “He started with us as a Baker and soon after began his apprenticeship programme. In 2023, we recognised his leadership potential and promoted him to a Team Leader position in the kitchen. Despite personal challenges and a demanding workload, he remained committed and successfully completed his Level 4 bakery apprenticeship. Earlier this year, we celebrated his achievement with his team. His passion for baking and dedication to learning have made him an essential part of our team.”
Mavae leads with care, supports training, and helps fill skills gaps across the business. He contributes to new product development and mentors both new and current apprentices, always willing to share his knowledge. “Mavae is highly valued and demonstrates strong leadership potential. In the next few years, he could easily progress into roles such as Production Supervisor. We’re proud to have him on our team and delighted to support his nomination.”
Reflecting on his journey, Mavae says that most of his apprenticeship training took place on the bun and roll line, but his seven years at Pierre’s Breadshop prior to that gave him a strong foundation in hand moulding and mixing techniques. Looking ahead over the next two to five years, he hopes to continue mentoring others, helping aspiring bakers understand the steps involved before taking on an apprenticeship. “One day I’d like to move into a senior role, either as a supervisor or production manager, and lead from the front. We have apprentices at work, and I really enjoy mentoring them. I’m grateful for the opportunities for growth at George Weston.”

Michael was nominated by Josh David, who describes him as having a tremendous work ethic, exceptional reliability, and a willingness to step in at short notice when staff are absent. “He strives to produce a high-quality loaf every day. Michael also works extremely well under pressure and has the mechanical aptitude to fix minor issues on the plant,” says Josh. Thanks to his skill and training, Michael is able to supervise both the bread plant and the slicing department. “Michael is a real asset to Quality Bakers Hawke’s Bay.”
Michael explains that he began his career as a tin operator before working his way up through the bakehouse over five years while completing his apprenticeship. He now holds the role of Chief Baker. “I really enjoy the technical aspects of plant baking. Over the next five years, I’d like to be more involved in production management and product development.”

Ian Kerry nominated Veronika for her exceptional work ethic, her drive to explore creative and innovative breads and pastries, and her outstanding knowledge of farinaceous products and baking theory. “Veronika has taught classes on bread, yeast, and risen products with remarkable success, earning repeat students and enthusiastic feedback. This is only the beginning for Veronika. She will go a long way in this industry,” says Ian.
In 2022, Veronika won Le Cordon Bleu’s Amateur Baking Competition, earning a scholarship for a foundational course. Determined to progress further, she fundraised globally to pursue the Advanced Diploma—an impressive feat achieved while working two jobs. She graduated from Le Cordon Bleu New Zealand in 2023 with an Advanced Diploma in Boulangerie. “I also taught baking to more than 170 adults at the Wellington Community Education Centre and ran baking workshops at private schools between 2021 and 2024.”
Veronika is now a Production Baker at Deluxe, preparing a wide range of products for cafés and the supermarket Moore Wilson. She has also begun contributing to recipe development, including creating a unique soft rye bagel—the only one of its kind available in Wellington.
Looking ahead, Veronika says, “I’m aspiring to open a mid-sized bakery and community baking school within five years, a place where the doors and ovens are open to people from all walks of life to share their cultures and recipes. With my multi-cultural background, I deeply respect people and their baking stories, and I want to help make artisan baking great again. I see myself as someone who passes on knowledge and creates space for others to put it into practice.”