FDBusiness.com

UK independent bakery company Pukka Pies has officially opened a new£7 million extension to its factory in Leicestershire, facilitating a 50% increase in production. Established in 1963, Pukka Pies currently produces over 60 million pies annually and employs more than 300 people. It supplies about 12,000 fish and chip shops across the UK as well as supermarkets and more than 40 football clubs.

The new extension, which incorporates a £2.2 million state-of-the-art refrigeration plant, increased cold storage and new distribution docks, has already resulted in the creation of 20 new jobs. It leaves the family-run company well placed to continue with its UK expansion. Last year, Pukka Pies, despite the difficult trading environment, managed to increase sales by 10% to £38 million.

“In challenging economic times, we have enjoyed excellent levels of growth and this new factory will enable us to continue our success story. We continue to provide the highest-quality products to our customers and this new extension will ensure that we retain our position as the UK’s leading manufacturer of branded hot eaten pies,” says Tim Storer, co managing director of Pukka Pies, who runs the company with his brother Andrew: “We are now absolutely cutting edge with our environmental credentials and the extension has improved our working conditions for our employees, too.”