Speciality Breads to quadruple capacity with move to £20m ‘bakery of the future’

Source: Speciality Breads

Artist impression of the new 180,000 sq ft bakery in Manston

Margate-based wholesale business Speciality Breads is investing £20m in a new 180,000 sq ft production facility as it aims to become the most sustainable bakery in the UK.

Located in the village of Manston just a few miles down the road from its current site, the factory will feature a hybrid stone bake oven (gas/electric) – said to be the first-of-its-kind in the UK – as well as a state-of-the-art production line, both supplied by Dutch equipment manufacturer Royal Kaak.

It is also a redevelopment of an existing building, which the company noted fits perfectly with its sustainability goals as it is much less carbon intensive than constructing something new on a greenfield site. It will have solar panels installed on the roof to support the bakery’s energy requirements. The £20m cost of the fit-out is being part self-funded and part-funded by a bank loan, confirmed Speciality Breads, with production expected to start by the end this year.

Founded in 1996, the business currently operates two adjacent bakery units in Margate’s Westwood Industrial Estate totalling around 45,000 sq ft in floor space, from which it supplies a range of bread products including focaccia, ciabatta, brioche, tin loaves, rustic baguettes, subs, sandwich rolls, burger buns, flatbreads, and teacakes, as well as frozen pizza dough, to a network of UK wholesalers.

Source: Speciality Breads

Worker handles a rack freshly baked loaves at Speciality Breads’ bakery in Margate

Around 50 tonnes of bread is produced per week, with Speciality Breads noting the Royal Kaak production line at its new site would “comfortably quadruple that volume”. It said its latest expansion move was a “significant step change” that would enable it to add retail to its growing portfolio, whilst at the same time enhancing the quality and range of its foodservice offering. It plans to introduce the likes of sourdough loaves and rolls among a “long list of exciting but top secret NPD”.

Speciality Breads’ strong sustainability saw it move to use Wildfarmed’s regenerative flour across its entire range last year. This partnership is to continue with Speciality Breads also using plant-based ingredients to create a compelling offer for customers seeking bakery that is better for the planet.

Futureproofing for 20 years

Speciality Breads managing director Simon Cannell described the new facility as the ‘bakery of the future’. “The bespoke built Royal Kaak production line enables us to retain our incredible flexibility and breadth of range whilst also providing a huge step change in both quality and efficiency. By making the move to this site we are futureproofing the business for the next 20 years so that we can develop partnerships with key customers for the long term,” he added.

Cannell also heralded the hybrid oven as a game-changer in the industry, saying it will allow the business to move as quickly towards net zero as the energy market allows. “Customers with volume will be able to choose what percentage of gas or electric they want to use, as well as specifying their own percentage blend of Wildfarmed flour. This is unique in the market and a hugely exciting innovation in the world of bakery,” expressed the MD.

Ahead of the move, Speciality Breads has strengthened its senior management team with the appointments of Nick Shrubsole as group executive director and Aaron Corbett as group operations director.