Third acquisition for David Wood Baking

DAVID Wood Baking is set to become a £30m turnover company within three years of launch after buying its third bakery.

The Leeds-based firm has bought the property and equipment at a site in Dudley from Apetito.

David Wood Baking, owned by former Country Style Foods director David Wood and wife Karen, was launched in 2008 with the acquisition of a savoury pastry production site in Sheerness and Peter Hunt’s Bakery in Bolton.

Mr Wood said: “All our three new acquisitions had closed after declining performance due to hectic price fluctuations in commodities such as flour, fat and meat and other strategic issues.

“In spite of the tough economic climate, we have restarted them and have taken on 300 of the 600 people previously employed at Sheerness and Bolton, producing traditional British savouries such as sausage rolls, pies, pasties and slices which are sold frozen to convenience retailers such as petrol station forecourts, to be baked and sold hot at point of sale.

“We have an experienced, flexible management team able to respond quickly to customer needs and we only use top-quality ingredients. We have invested substantially in the fully-refurbished Dudley factory and are now producing part-baked specialty breads for our customers which are supermarkets and national food distributors throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland.

“The new bakery has an annual production capacity of more than £25m.”

David Wood Baking’s growth has been supported by Yorkshire Bank’s Leeds Financial Solutions Centre.

Yorkshire Bank Leeds FSC business partner Jim Myles said: “David Wood and his team are hugely experienced  and have saved a significant number of jobs and created a fast-growing  business in the toughest economic period for 80 years.

“We’re pleased to support their latest acquisition though our Investing for Growth initiative and be part of their success.”