Confectionery business expands into new scheme following ‘healthy’ growth
Building work has been completed on expanding a new commercial unit for a confectionery business at Thorp Arch Estate, near Wetherby.
Confectionery wholesaler Bon Bon’s, led by Mark Rowntree, a descendant of confectionery pioneer Joseph Rowntree, has expanded by taking a further 15,000 sq ft of space.
The Unit, 6 Ash Way, is part of Ash Way III which is an extension of the existing Ash Way development.
Founded in 2007, Bon Bon’s moved into a 13,300 sq ft unit on the Thorp Arch Estate in 2014.
The expansion to 6 Ash Way follows on from the business’ move into healthy snacking with the launch of The Real Good Food Co, selling a range of flavoured and speciality nuts and seeds.
The Real Good Food Co sells a range of products, including Wasabi Green Beans and Chili Peanuts, along with branded merchandising, to the company’s retail outlets throughout the UK.
Ash Way III comprises five industrial units and will provide 48,000 sq ft. The units are being fitted out to include seven-metre-eave warehouses, up-and-over loading doors, air conditioned offices, LED lighting throughout, concrete loading yards and fibre connections for superfast broadband.
Mark Rowntree said: “Our confectionary sales are still going extremely well but we launched the Real Good Food Co because there is clearly a growing market for snacking on nuts and seeds and we want to offer customers a wider choice.
“We are probably the UK’s largest hand-packing confectionery business and the additional space provided by 6 Ash Way will allow us to re-organise our operation to provide more packing capacity in our existing unit and to use 6 Ash Way entirely as a bulk holding and dispatch warehouse.
“Wharfedale Property Management manages the estate and has been very supportive in helping us to expand and has guided us through the entire process. Thorp Arch Estate is a great business location, close to the motorway network, and we are confident of continuing our expansion, which is seeing double digit sales growth.”
The business has 85 staff and supplies venues including The British Museum, Chatsworth House, The Tower of London, The Shard, London, and English Heritage sites, including Stonehenge.
The remaining four units, which are on target for completion next month , are available to lease through Wharfedale Property Management.
Tim Munns, director of Wharfedale Property Management director, added: “Bon Bon’s commitment to expand into Ash Way III gave estate owner, Rockspring Hanover Property Unit Trust, confidence to invest in this high-quality speculative scheme and we are delighted that they have now moved in. There is already a great deal of interest in the remaining units.”
