Gluten-free bakery plan announced for Wrexham

Robin and Christien Jones at the site of the new factory

A Wrexham bakery is spending millions on a new production facility to meet the demand for gluten free products.

Village Bakery will spend £12m on converting a former wire factory into a state-of-the-art facility, which it said would be the first of its kind in Europe.

The company will make its own gluten free range at the site, which includes rolls, pancakes, naan and pitta breads.

Managing director Robin Jones says the investment was down to customer demand.

The former Caparo Wire factory, which near two of their existing bakeries on the Wrexham Estate, will be transformed so the company can expand its gluten and wheat-free products.

The company will increase its range by 10 products, which are available in in the shops they supply across North Wales, Cheshire, Merseyside and Shropshire.

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Mr Jones and projects director Christien Jones said the factory is expected to be up and running by the end of the year.

Christien Jones said: "Last year, we made the decision to go wheat free because of the trends.

"There is more choice and more options for people out there, and I think it's also a lifestyle choice.

"Some people are allergic to wheat and some people self diagnose but, what we do know, is that people are open to trying new things.

"When you look at the market 10 years ago, options were very limited. In the last couple of years alone, there has been a huge increase in options. The market has moved on."

'Good news'

Dietitian and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association, Lucy Jones, says there are benefits to eating gluten-free foods, particularly if you have Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

She said: "Up to 10 to 15% could have gluten intolerance, so obviously the fact that there is a bakery working to make more products for them is great news.

"There isn't any evidence that going gluten-free is necessarily good for you if you are not intolerant.

"Sometimes, it's not advised to go gluten free unless you need to as these products often have more sugars and fats in them.

"But, if it's a bakery working on these products, that may not be an issue. They may be able to add in additional grains and fibres to keep them nutritionally balanced.

"Ultimately, it's good news for the people in our communities who need to access gluten-free products."