A booming bakery firm has clinched a deal to supply a leading retail chain with its new gluten-free range.<\/p>\n
The products are being rolled out by the Wrexham-based Village Bakery to a total of 60 Spar stores in North Wales \u2013 with another major announcement expected before the end of the year.<\/p>\n
The family-run company is now receiving enquiries about their own-label Gluten Freedom range from across the UK and a number of European countries.<\/p>\n
As a result of their expansion, they are now in the process of recruiting 20 new apprentices to become the new generation of bakers.<\/p>\n
According to the Village Bakery\u2019s managing director, Robin Jones, the \u201cuber positive\u201d response to the new gluten-free products has been beyond their wildest dreams.<\/p>\n
They were already on sale at a string of independent stores North Wales, Cheshire, Merseyside and Shropshire.<\/p>\n
The reaction of customers has justified the company\u2019s \u00a312 million investment in converting the former Caparo Wire factory, close to their two existing bakeries on Wrexham Industrial Estate, into a state-of-the-art production facility for a new range of gluten free goods.<\/p>\n
The building has been re-clad and extended from 55,000 sq ft to 75,000 sq ft and is due to be up and running before the end of the year.<\/p>\n
It will be the most advanced bakery of its kind in Europe and will cater for the explosion in demand from customers.<\/p>\n
The first 10 products in the own-label range are being made at the family firm\u2019s original but much smaller gluten free bakery on the industrial estate.<\/p>\n
Until now it\u2019s been a wholesale operation making the gluten and wheat free products for other customers.<\/p>\n
Existing staff will be transferred to the new bakery when it\u2019s ready and the company is confident the expansion will eventually create more jobs in addition to the apprenticeships.<\/p>\n
Mr Jones said: \u201cWe\u2019ve had an absolutely fantastic response to the Gluten Freedom range from our customers.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe consumers love it. They can’t believe the texture of the products which are on sale alongside our traditional range.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are telling us things like this is the best ever gluten free bread they\u2019ve ever tasted and that they had to double check it was in fact gluten free<\/p>\n
“That is the best compliment we could ever have because that\u2019s exactly what we were aiming to do.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe tried to replicate our Village Bakery products in a gluten free manner and coeliacs and our wheat-free consumers now recognise that they are getting something a bit different.<\/p>\n
“We’re setting a new benchmark in gluten free products so everything is now set fair for the opening of our new gluten-free bakery in December.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a step change for the business in many respects and why we are taking on 20 new apprentices.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been delighted by the demand from the UK and also now from across Europe with enquires from Scandinavia, Holland, Belgium and France.<\/p>\n
“We’ve been baking gluten-free products now for 10 years and we\u2019re also using our knowledge and skills as craft bakers to make the products better and better.<\/p>\n
\u201cThanks to the new bakery, we will have the capacity to grow with all our customers, and also the capability to make new products.\u201d<\/p>\n