The Bread Museum hosted the first edition of the “The Best Bread in Portugal” competition, a joint initiative between ACIP – the Association of the Bakery, Pastry and Similar Trade and Industry and the Bread Museum itself.

This first edition, which took place last Saturday, is a true celebration of the diversity and quality of national baking and distinguished the best breads in Portugal in five categories: Wheat, Seeds, Rye, Cornbread and Innovation.

Among the big winners, Bakery Dias, from Covilhã, stands out, having already won the award for the best Organic and Nutritional Bread in the World in 2023, at the World Baking Championship in Italy. This time, it took home three gold medals for best seed bread, best rye bread and best innovative bread. In the Wheat category, the victory went to Rustica Bakery and Brunch, from Viseu, while Moinho Novo Confectionary, from Tentúgal, was the big winner in the Corn Bread category.

The competition’s breads were evaluated in a blind tasting by a jury made up of 27 professionals from the sector and chaired by Chef Hélio Loureiro. who carefully analyzed the flavor, texture, aroma and presentation of each bread, to reward the examples that best represent the excellence of Portuguese bread.

For Michael Fonseca, Head Baker at Museu do Pão and also a member of the jury, “This competition is more than a competition — it is a celebration of the art and passion of baking. At Museu do Pão, we have always believed that each loaf of bread carries with it the history, culture and knowledge of those who make it. Being able to recognize and reward the best breads in Portugal is a way of honoring this tradition and, at the same time, inspiring new generations to continue reinventing this essential art.”