The UK's largest gluten-free biscuit manufacturer, Northumbrian Fine Foods (NFF) has announced it will invest £1.2 million in new baking production capabilities in its Gateshead facility.
NFF, which produces private label and the Prewett's brand of products, said that "soaring demand" in the free-from sector has made the investment a necessity. Turnover in free from has seen an 80 per cent increase in the last five years.
The investment is being spent on a new baking oven for the company, which will yield a 40 per cent higher production capacity. It will principally focus on the manufacture of ‘indulgent’ cookies, rotary moulded biscuits and bake bars such as granola.
Stewart McLelland, managing director of NFF, said: “This investment is great news for Gateshead and is testament to the hard work of everyone at Northumbrian Fine Foods. We have seen significant growth in the ‘free from’ market for our ‘indulgent cookies’ and other biscuits, especially from the multiple retail sector.
“The new baking oven will play a key role in meeting current demand and also ensure that we can continue to grow the business significantly over the coming years.”
NFF produces around 60 per cent of the UK’s gluten free sweet biscuit output. It will hire 40 new people when the investment is completed in September.
© 2016 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by John Golden. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
