KTC Edibles targets a bigger sustainable footprint in bakery

07-Aug-2023 - Last updated on 07-Aug-2023 at 14:22 GMT

KTC Edibles is shooting for a larger piece of the bakery pie with a seven-figure investment in Scottish bakery fats specialist Cardowan Creameries. Pic: GettyImages

The UK edible oils and fats supplier is seeking to expand its position in the bakery sector with a of a significant investment to double the output of recently-acquired Cardowan Creameries.

KTC snapped up the Glaswegian specialist margarine manufacturer in March as part of its ongoing expansion plans. Financial details were not revealed; however, the purchase of the Scottish concern will take the combined turnover of the KTC Group to more than £550m and broadens its product offering.

Cardowan has a history of over 90 years crafting bakery products, making it a trusted supplier of margarine, shortenings, and bread fats - including vegan and RSPO-certified offerings - to manufacturers and wholesalers across the UK and internationally. The company has also been on reformulation drive to make its recipes healthier, with funding from FDF Scotland's Reformul8 Challenge Fund.

At the time, KTC said it planned to build on the platform laid down by the Kyle family with continuing capital investment to drive sales growth.

KTC has wasted no time in cementing this commitment with a reported ‘seven-figure investment’ to expand premises, introduce new capabilities and add to the workforce. It also plans to launch an expanded range of sustainable speciality bakery fats to meet the evolving needs of bakery businesses and food manufacturers.

Amazing history in Glasgow

“We acquired Cardowan to grow the business. The site has a strong reputation in the food industry, an amazing history in Glasgow and a highly skilled team,” said Gary Lewis, sales director for KTC.

“By combining heritage, expertise and industry leading facilities, KTC aims to benefit customers across the bakery industry, offering bakery businesses and food manufacturers unparalleled choice, innovative solutions and sustainable ingredients.”

KTC will leverage its enhanced buying power and extensive customer base to get Cardowan products out to new bakery customers, as well as providing a greater choice by developing new high performance and sustainable baking products under both the KTC and Cardowan brands.

With over four decades of experience, KTC is the UK’s largest supplier of edible oils and fats, with a 400-strong workforce across its sites in Wednesday and Liverpool supplying more than 250 million litres of cooking oils annually to the foodservice, wholesale, bakery and manufacturing sectors.

The company has earned a strong reputation for its unwavering commitment to sustainability. Notably, all palm oil supplied by KTC is certified as RSPO segregated sustainable.

KTC is anticipating its weighty investment will firmly position the Cardowan business for success in an increasingly environmentally conscious marketplace.