Newcastle has cleaned up in this year's Australian Small Business Champion Awards.
More than 35 small businesses from the region made the finalists list in 2024, with eight taking home the top gong in their category.
Mayfield-based Farrar and Sons Bakehouse took home the award for best bakery.
Owner Sally Farrar thought her business, which she runs alongside her husband Scott and son Tristan, "had no chance".
"We were very shocked... we've only been in business since January last year, and we've only had the shopfront since June," Ms Farrar said.
"We were up against the bakery who had won it two years running, so we were very shocked."
Ms Farrar described the business as a "bit of an old-fashioned bakery" that aimed for "100 per cent customer service" and regularly listened to customer requests for new pies.
"We'll often get people come and ask if we can do this or do that," she said.
"Our pie of the week this week is a special request; chilli, barbecue beef and bacon pie.
"This is our hottest pie ever.
"Before that, our hottest pie was a jalapeno pie, but people wanted something hotter, so we've stepped it up a notch.
"We had one the other month that Cooper from Woolies thought would be tasty - honey soy chicken.
"We had a little sign next to the pies that said 'suggested by Cooper'."
Ms Farrar's father, who is also a baker by trade, makes "chunky-style old-fashion grandpa pies", which are in high demand.
Farrar and Sons is also very involved in the community, supplying bread to charities and sports clubs at a heavily discounted price for sausage sizzles to help them turn over a bigger profit.
The region's other winners included Hunter Plastic Surgery in Charlestown (cosmetic specialist), Tailored HQ in Newcastle (interior designer), Vigour Graphics in Highfields (web development), Beam Bookkeeping in Newcastle West (accounting bookkeeping services) and Creative Sensory Spaces in Hamilton (specialised small business).
Beresfield's Nova Team Australia took out the Business Growth Award and Versair in Eleebana won the gong for New Service Business.
