Food Chain - Issue 197 - December 2023 | Page 58

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Innovative appliances , such as bread slicers and wrapping machines , revolutionized the business in the 1920s , freeing up time and energy for the bakers to focus solely on baking . Having survived both world wars , the bakery relocated to a new site where it remains today , bolstering its production capability to 600 loaves per hour .
The following decades saw the business excel across the globe , with the fourth generation of the Roberts family also joining the fun . Embracing constant innovation and fresh ideas , Roberts launched a state-ofthe-art test kitchen in 2012 and a rebranding campaign in 2017 , bringing the business into the era of modernity and sustainability , with new bread bags containing 53 percent less plastic .
Today , Roberts employs nearly 750 dedicated professionals who share a common goal to deliver exceptional , sustainable baked goods to every sector and for every occasion . Operating as a cohesive unit , the business continues to embrace innovation with its vast range of products stocked across the UK in major supermarkets like Asda , Sainsbury ’ s , Tesco , and Waitrose , as well as various convenience stores .
Investing in growth
Its sister company , The Little Treats Bakery ( Little Treats ), offers delicious biscuits and sweet treats to various customers , including food service clients like Costa Coffee and Marks & Spencer ( M & S ). Bill Thurston , Managing Director at Roberts , joins us to discuss the company ’ s evolution , detail how it plans to navigate the busy Christmas period , and expand on its major investment plan . 58