Bradford-based bakery rises post-pandemic

Shipley-based Just Desserts has announced it is now trading 10 per cent ahead of its 2019 sales, which was itself a 33 per cent uplift.

The bakery, founded and run by husband and wife team James and Carol O’Dwyer, completed a £160,000 expansion project into Unit 4 on Station Road, Shipley as the country was locked down in March 2020.

The investment spanned building works to extend the bakery’s footprint by more than 60%, new equipment, a larger freezer and increased storage capacity, as well as an NPD area, improved staff room and facilities and a meeting/boardroom.

Just Desserts has also appointed its first General Manager, welcoming back Kate Williams, who was the business development manager for the company from 2010-2012. Kate joins from AJ Pies & Pasties of Huddersfield, where she was business development manager.

Kate will oversee the daily business operations, develop growth strategies and manage staff, supporting MD James O’Dwyer and the senior management team.

James O’Dwyer, MD, Just Desserts said:“We are also delighted to welcome Kate back into the fold. Kate’s appointment is integral in supporting me and the team with the general management of the bakery moving forwards.

The production team has also grown to 20 with the appointment of four new bakers. Just Desserts also operates its own fleet of vans and distributes across Yorkshire, Lancashire, Middlesbrough and the Midlands.

James continued: “As with so many businesses, the pandemic created some extraordinary difficulties and challenges for us and we are delighted to have been able to cope with them and in fact bounce back better than ever.

“Our latest product launch complements our Vegan product offer, which is seeing strong demand from customers who are looking to serve a wider Vegan product range in their cafes, farm shops and restaurants. We are confident this will be another fantastic addition to this growing market.”

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