Bread quality dropped after production outsourced

Boparan Private Office Ltd has taken over management of the firm

A bread firm that outsourced production to another bakery after a factory fire experienced "quality issues and further loss of sales", according to financial documents.

Roberts Bakery was saved from closure recently by a rescue deal - two years after a blaze at its Northwich headquarters in Cheshire.

The fire, in 2023, resulted in production dropping to a third of previous output for more than a year.

The 138-year-old firm had already suffered low sales after the 2020 coronavirus pandemic and was "further challenged" by sharp increases in wheat flour prices following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022 and rising energy costs, according to Companies House documents.

'Prolonged disruption'

A significant fire damaged one of the bread plants in June 2023, leading to the firm having to rebuild its premises.

"During the rebuild period, production was outsourced to another bakery which led to quality issues and further loss of sales as customers turned to competitors," the documents say.

"The company invested heavily in restoring the site but the prolonged disruption resulted in ongoing supply challenges and a damaged reputation for reliability."

In July, the family-run firm announced sales had "not rebounded as anticipated" following the fire - with turnover falling from £96m in 2023 to £76m in 2024.

The company said at the time that it planned to cut up to 250 jobs from its 700-strong workforce.

Three months later it was revealed the company had been saved after Boparan Private Office (BPO), owned by food processing entrepreneur Ranjit Boparan, backed a management team takeover.