Eden Shopping Centre’s ‘Start up to Store’ winner is announced

Eden Shopping Centre’s ‘Start up to Store’ winner, Baked by Marie, is getting ready to spread joy to shoppers with her homemade luxurious cookies and cakes in the High Wycombe shopping centre in time for Summer.

As the winner of Eden’s ‘Start up to Store’ competition; the local cottage baker from Beaconsfield, has been awarded a store, completely free for six months, in the High Wycombe shopping centre. The new store is set to open early summer.

Owner and baker Marie Hazelwood was declared the winner, following a public vote that took place last month. During the final, shoppers had the chance to sample and hear more about the finalists then vote for the business they’d most like to see in the Centre.

Baked by Marie was created from Marie’s passion for flowers, country life and baking with her nan when she was a little girl growing up in Poland.

Highlights of the new store include Baked by Marie’s signature cookies along with customer favourites including carrot cake and Biscoff blondies.

Locals may have seen Baked by Marie at Marlow, Maidenhead and Beaconsfield Markets, selling her authentic, high-quality cottage baked goods with a strong focus on tradition and quality ingredients.

Having proven to be a hit across the county already, Marie believed the ‘Start up to Store’ competition was the perfect time and opportunity to try and win a physical shop and share her baking with local shoppers regularly.

Marie’s dream has paid off and Baked by Marie is set to join the line-up at Eden Shopping Centre in the coming weeks.

Marie Hazelwood, owner of Baked by Marie said: “I am so excited to be moving my business onto the next stage.  It is a dream come true.  Baking has always been a part of me and that’s why I started Baked by Marie. I am thrilled to be sharing my love for sweet treats.

To win the public vote and to know that the people of High Wycombe and beyond want to see my home-made treats in the shopping centre, is a huge boost and privilege. I have built my business by delivering authentic products with a personal approach to each customer and sale. I cannot wait to get started and welcome more customers to my store in Eden. I really appreciate the support and the opportunity that the team at Eden has given me in making my dream a reality.”

Rebecca Gomme, Eden Shopping Centre’s Marketing Manager, said: “Here at Eden, we are big supporters of the local community, so we handed the final decision to our shoppers. The public votes went to Baked by Marie and we are excited to welcome her business and her delicious homemade treats to Eden in the coming weeks.”