WEST Yorkshire bakery, Just Desserts has appointed contractors to commence works on its expansion plans to support continued business growth. Huddersfield building company, Bray Building Services start on site this week at the Shipley bakery.
Just Desserts has invested more than £150,000 in the expansion project, which includes consultation to future proof the bakery and building works, as well as new bakery equipment and a larger freezer to increase storage capacity. The newly extended bakery, which is due to complete mid January 2020, will also create new roles for the business in operations and warehousing.
The bakery, which expanded into Unit 3 in 2015, has added Unit 4 on Station Road and plans to transform the site with new offices and staff facilities, demolishing the existing offices and staffroom to further extend the bakery footprint and freezer space by more than 60%. The works will also include a mezzanine floor to house a meeting /board room.
Bray Building Services was established in 2012 by Daniel Bray, initially as a damp proof specialist before growing to become a full service building company operating in the local area and the whole of West Yorkshire.
James O’Dwyer, MD, Just Desserts said:
“We are delighted to appoint the team at Bray Building Services to implement our bakery expansion plans. They have built a great reputation both in their local area and in West Yorkshire and we were impressed with their professionalism, design approach and bespoke service offer.
“We are excited to be able to support our 5 year growth strategy to deliver a future proofed bakery, as well as look after the health and wellbeing of our growing and loyal team with new staff facilities. The larger layout and working space of the extended bakery will improve efficiencies, productivity, workflow and capacity to deliver our handcrafted products to a growing customer base.
“We are already working towards developing new vegan and low sugar products to support our strategy to target new and existing markets and the new bakery will help us realise our ambitions,” continued O’Dwyer.
Daniel Bray, MD, Bray Building Services commented:
“It’s fantastic to be working alongside Just Desserts on this construction project. It shows there is still strength in the manufacturing industry in the local area. Like James the owner, we have come from small beginnings and this is why I believe the relationship will work well. We both understand the importance of working closely together to deliver this project, enabling Just Desserts to expand to meet the future demand for its amazing products.
“The team have been promised a few extra cakes at break time, which we are especially looking forward to,” continued Bray.
Just Desserts was founded on a £40-a-week enterprise allowance more than 30 years ago by man and wife team James and Carol O’Dwyer. The business has evolved from James baking cakes in a unit in Salt’s Mill to producing a product range of more than 100 different lines. Crowned as the ‘Northern Craft Bakery of the Year’ in 2018, the company now employs more than 30 staff and operates a fleet of delivery vans serving a growing foodservice and hospitality customer base across the North of England and the Midlands.
