Mr. Kipling serves up 80 new jobs as food minister Liz Truss unveils £20m investment
The secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs, Liz Truss, has unveiled a £20m investment in a new production line at the Mr. Kipling factory.
The Mr Kipling bakery in Barnsley will more than double the capacity of Mr. Kipling Snack Pack cake slices (hooray) to keep pace with growing demand and improve productivity.
Some 80 new jobs have been created as a result, including highly skilled roles, and should bring wider economic benefits for Premier Foods’ suppliers, including British farmers, the company said in a statement.
The introduction of robotic technology was marked by the Conservative minister, who said:
The new line is not only a boost to Yorkshire's economy but will also ensure our UK farmers and producers‟ benefit from the company‟s commitment to source the majority of its ingredients from British suppliers.
At full capacity the new production line is expected to produce more than 300m snack pack slices per year, which the company says will help meet growth in demand. The bakery currently employs 750 workers, increasing to 1,500 in peak seasonal periods.
Premier Foods chief exec, Gavid Darby, said he was “very excited” about the future of Mr. Kipling:
Our cake business has grown significantly over the last 9 months and the additional capacity and flexibility from this new investment will help us improve productivity and capture new growth opportunities. It’s also a great vote of confidence in Barnsley and our colleagues at the Carlton bakery.