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A Gilfach pie shop has been nominated for an award in Wales’ “leading celebration” of food for the first time. 

Hancox’s Pies, on Commercial Street, is nominated for Retail Bakery of the Year at the sixth annual Food Awards Wales. 

If successful, this would be the business’s third award in 2023.  

Owner Alex Hancox, 42, told Caerphilly Observer more about what the nomination means. 

“It’s something I wasn’t expecting,” said Alex.

The bakery, which sells authentic Portuguese pies and pastries, is up against nine others.

“There’s quite a lot of big businesses. They’ve been trading for a long time.”

The shortlisting comes thanks to nominations from the public. 

Alex continued: “I feel grateful that all our customers have decided to nominate us for this,” adding that customers are more “friends” than anything else. 

The bakery, which opened during the Covid pandemic, has been running for three years now and is set to expand into the premises next door before the end of the year. 

Visitors can find the bakery’s previous seven awards on a shelf in the shop, which celebrate Alex, his “brill” team and of course, his customers. 

“It’s all for our customers,” he added. 

The Food Awards Wales 2023 will take place on June 26.