The National Skills Academy for Food & Drink (NSAFD) is working with large manufacturers to create an apprenticeship levy transfer scheme for smaller craft bakers to access apprenticeship training for free.
Hovis Ltd has announced its intention to sell two flourmills and close a third as part of its three-year transformation plan, placing more than 100 jobs under threat.
40 jobs are threatened at logistics firm Swansea Bakeries Limited (SBL) amid proposals to shift its contract to handle logistics for Premier Foods’ Hovis brand to Hovis’ Avonmouth depot.
US Gores Group is allegedly in talks to buy out a stake of Premier Foods’ Hovis business and a city analyst has said that geography would not impact its ability to turn around the struggling brand.
Premier Foods is remaining tight-lipped about reports that the Mexican bakery Grupo Bimbo may acquire its troubled bread division, as the firm’s short-term prospects divided City opinion.
The managing director of Premier Foods’ bakery arm tasked with driving the struggling bread business forward has resigned and will leave the firm early 2013.
Premier Foods will shut two bakery sites and remove 130 distribution routes at a cost of £28m ($44.5m); a move sparked by its lost Co-op bread contract.