Frank Roberts & Sons, a British family-run baking group and owner of Roberts Bakery, has announced plans to relocate its biscuit business, The Little Treats Bakery, to a new site in Cheshire. The move will separate the biscuit production unit from the company’s headquarters in Rudheath and establish a new facility in Winsford, four miles south of the current site.
In 2021, Frank Roberts & Sons merged its bread production unit, Roberts Bakery, with Little Treats to streamline its operations. The company supplies various UK retailers such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and Asda, as well as own-label, food-to-go, and foodservice customers.
The relocation of Little Treats Bakery to Winsford will create a “centre of excellence for biscuit production” and provide ample space for storing final products and raw materials. The company also plans to introduce new robotic technology to enhance the biscuit line’s decorating capability.
The transition to the new site is currently underway, while the company will also initiate a “significant rebuild” of its two bakery plants at its headquarters, focusing solely on bread and baked morning goods. Additionally, Frank Roberts & Sons intends to add a third bread plant to the Winsford site, with plans to transform its Ilkeston facility into a new center for excellence for its specialty bread division.
Bill Thurston, the managing director at Frank Roberts & Sons, highlighted that these strategic decisions ensure job security for employees across the company’s three sites. With a turnover of £89m ($108m) in 2022, the company expects its revenue to exceed £90m. Thurston emphasized the investment plan as a means to rebuild and revitalize the company for a successful future.
