Sweet success for artisan baker with expansion on the cards

A RIPON artisan bakery has seen extensive growth, with revenues set to break through £350,000 this year.

It is also set to expand its premises, enabling the business to increase production and sell nationwide.

The entrepreneur behind Brown and Blond, George Welton, launched the business in 2010 when he was 18 years-old.

Now, the wholesale side of his business is expanding rapidly, making up 60% of turnover. Mr Welton’s company makes 12,000 brownies a week, of which there are 50 different types, from raspberry and white chocolate to praline and chilli.

Mr Welton said of the beginnings of the business: “At the time I was working as a chef in a small café in Harrogate where one of the most popular items on offer was my ‘original’ chocolate brownies. I quickly realised that these gooey treats had huge potential and set up a micro bakery from the back of my parents’ smallholding in York before moving to our present bakery in Ripon,”

One of George’s first trade customers six years ago was Leeds-based Italian espresso bar, La Bottega Milanese, located in Leeds city centre in The Light and at Bond Court.

Proprietor, Alex Galantino, said: “We are passionate about using local independent suppliers. Our customers’ appreciate the fact that our products are fresh and George’s brownies are a perennial favourite.”