AN Evesham based food giant is urging people to indulge their sweet tooth and take part in a new national American bakery themed week in July.

Dawn Foods is hoping people across the UK will get involved in its National American Sweet Bakery Week starting on Tuesday, July 1, to encourage sales of sweet treats popular in the USA, such as cookies, doughnuts, muffins and brownies.

The week long event, being run by Dawn Foods and California Raisins, also coincides with America's July 4th Independence Day celebrations and has been designed exclusively for independent craft bakeries.

Bakers are being offered free promotional material including a USA themed POS kit, free raisin samples to give to customers or add to their sweet American bakery creations for customers to enjoy, as well as a free customer competition kit to the first 100 bakers who register.

From Tuesday (July 1) until Monday, July 7, bakers are being encouraged to try new American style recipes for products such as banoffee cupcakes and toffee popcorn muffins, to cookie sandwiches and cookies and cream gateau.

Jacqui Passmore, marketing manager at Dawn Foods, said: "There are many fantastic smaller bakeries all over the country adding value to their business with exciting cakes and pastries but business can be tough when faced with competition from supermarkets.

"The National American Sweet Bakery Week has been designed exclusively for smaller bakeries that may not have the time or the resources for the themed marketing that the big retail chains offer.

"We are offering free point of sale materials, products to give away, delicious recipes and support so bakers can have a fun, business-building week.

"American products are incredibly popular and can provide bakers with healthy profit margins too, so bakers have nothing to lose but plenty to gain by taking part."

The Dawn Foods National American Sweet Bakery Week is part of a wider Authentic American Bakery campaign for bakers which includes American themed competitions such as Win a USA Holiday, the Dawn Road Trip, which bakers can follow online, and recipe ideas all designed to help bakers build their business in American bakery products.

For more information visit dawnbakery.co.uk or to register for the National American Sweet Bakery Week and to receive free support for the week visit dawnbakery.co.uk/sweet-bakery-week.