Fresh Thyme Market, a full-service specialty natural foods and grocery retailer with 70 stores in 10 states throughout the Midwest, is giving local bakeries the chance to win $10,000 in celebration of its 10th birthday.

The community grocer is inviting local bakeries to submit fresh, better-for-you cake recipes for a chance to be named the brand’s official 10th birthday cake, plus a cash prize of $5,000 for their business, an additional $5,000 donation towards a Fresh Thyme Market local Feeding America food bank and mentorship from an expert panel.

“We are excited to celebrate our 10th birthday with this contest that not only honors our commitment to fresh, wholesome ingredients, but showcases the talented bakeries in our communities,” says Liz Zolcak, president at Fresh Thyme Market. “At Fresh Thyme, we’re dedicated to helping provide consumers with healthier solutions for real living, including during those moments of celebration. Better-for-you can look different to different people, and we're proud to be a go-to resource for both everyday shoppers and bakers looking for these types of products.”

Fresh Thyme Market invites all local bakeries and community members in the communities it operates in to celebrate the brand’s 10th birthday by submitting a cake recipe or casting a vote for the winner. Local bakeries with a Fresh Thyme Market in their state are invited to submit the following online now through April 26, 2024 at 11:59 pm CST:

  • Their winning better-for-you cake recipe using one produce item, one alternative flour and three other Fresh Thyme Market-branded ingredients
  • A video answering the question, “How do you shop at Fresh Thyme Market?”

Three finalists will have their cakes sampled during in-store events on Saturday, May 18 at all Fresh Thyme Market locations. Shoppers at these locations will have the opportunity to taste and vote for their favorite cake to be named the winner. Plus, Fresh Thyme Market is raffling off 10 Fresh Thyme Market gift cards valued at $100 each to shoppers who participate.