Bakery ups local sourcing with £3.5m extension
significant investment in local sourcing.
Pastry and pie maker Ginsters has unveiled a £3.5m (€5.2m) bakery extension to its premises in England and has pledged to increase business with local suppliers as the company's turnover grows.
The move towards local sourcing will allow the company, whose products carry the logo 'real, honest food', to promote a more socially and environmentally aware image as well as proving more cost-effective.
Production director Ray Hanly said: "The extension has been very successful and enabled Ginsters to continue to grow capacity and cope with increasing demand for our savoury pastries.
"As our turnover grows, we have relied more on Cornish farms for locally sourced goods in keeping with our real honest food pledge. We will continue to invest and drive innovation and growth in the lunchtime sandwich and savoury snacking market."
The overhaul of production facilities at Ginsters consists of greater warehouse space, new equipment and staff training.
Up to 30 per cent more space for storage of finished products has been created on the plant's first floor while the ground floor can house more raw materials. A number of new ovens have also been purchased to boost output at the factory.
On the packaging side, Ginsters has invested £1.5m (€2.23m) in improving facilities and ensuring a smooth flow of materials.
The extension benefited from £1.29m (€1.9m) donated by both the Objective One programme from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee (EAGGF) and the UK Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
The company, which has own-branded sales of up to £225m (€335m), prides itself on using local ingredients and already sources swedes and potatoes from the South West of England.
