Meet Karen
I’m Karen, the founder and chief scone obsessive behind Sassy Scone, established in 2024.
Food has been woven into my life for as long as I can remember. As a child, I was happiest in the kitchen – cooking, baking, experimenting, and feeding anyone who’d let me. That early love of food eventually led me to the Birmingham College of Food, where I studied Food and Consumer Management and discovered just how much creativity and science sit behind great flavour.
After graduating, I built a career in food product development, working with brands such as British Pepper & Spice, M&S poultry specialist John Rannoch Foods, and Del Monte. I later moved into food consultancy in London and diving even deeper into the world of innovation, ingredients, and taste.
I’ve lived in Ely with my family since 2004, and I’ve always adored the city’s foodie spirit – especially its vibrant market. When the idea for Sassy Scone arrived, it felt only natural that Ely would be its home.
The spark came at Christmas 2023, when a good friend gifted me The National Trust Book of Scones. That book reignited something in me. Within weeks I was testing, tweaking, and trialling recipes, convinced that if a flavour works in a cake or biscuit, it probably works in a scone too. Nine months later, in September 2024, Sassy Scone eventually launched at Ely Markets.
Since then, I’ve been creating new flavours every month, balancing playful, experimental combinations with a commitment to perfecting the classics. A truly great plain or cheese scone is a thing of beauty, and I’m determined to make the best you’ve ever tasted – always using high quality ingredients and plenty of care.
Sassy Scone is my way of sharing joy, comfort, and a little bit of sass, one warm, crumbly scone at a time!
