Bakkavor Bread at Crewe, one of the biggest employers in the region, is set for a seven-figure investment as the site, modernising it to become one of the most technologically advanced bread manufacturers in the country.
The Crewe site makes chilled speciality bread such as hand-crafted flatbreads for UK supermarkets and employs over 300 people. The new investment will focus on creating a fourth production line at the site. This represents the biggest investment since Bakkavor opened the site in 2007. The site originally had two production lines and the new investment represents a doubling of manufacturing capability.
The technology behind the investment at Crewe will also be good news for people looking for a new career as the site is looking to recruit apprentices in both engineering and manufacturing, with further apprenticeship opportunities in Engineering and Finance at its Bakkavor Bread Aston site, and Supply Chain at its Distribution Centre in Crewe.
The growing need for technical skills to support food production was reflected last week during British Science Week, when Bakkavor polled parents across the Northwest asking them which careers they would recommend their children considered for the future. Software development (34%) and engineering (32%) emerged as the top career-paths parents would encourage their children to consider – above more traditional professions, such as law (20%), teaching (19%) banking (6%) and politics (1%). With the growing application of technology and automation across a wide range of traditional industries in the Northwest, the need for engineering, data and technical roles will only grow further.
Stuart Borthwick – General Manager of Operations at Bakkavor Bread commented: “Our breads business in Crewe has been a real success since it opened in 2007. We are delighted to see another major investment at the site, which will go some way to ensure our continued market leadership in the category. Food manufacturing is changing and the growing focus on engineering, manufacturing and technical roles itself creates new career opportunities at Bakkavor. With our award-winning apprenticeship programme we are also investing in developing the top talent of tomorrow. We are on the look-out to recruit people that would like to develop a fulfilling career with one of the town’s major employers.”
