Wrexham bakery reopens after £27m investment

A company has reopened a bakery in Wrexham after a £27 million investment, marking seven years since a fire destroyed its original site. The new facility, located on the Jones Village site, began producing bread this week. It is the most modern bakery in Europe, according to the company.

From Rubble to Production

The bakery reopened on Wrexham Industrial Estate, where a blaze in 2019 left only rubble and mangled metal. Starting production there again is described as an “emotional milestone” for the business. The site is now home to next-generation machinery designed for future innovation.

Bakery manager Jac Griffiths, who joined the company as a 16-year-old summer worker, said the transformation was “incredibly proud.” He described the new equipment as “the best in the business” and a “special, special time” for the organization.

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Griffiths noted the team is passing its knowledge to the next generation. He believes the company offers a place to show skills and rewards hard work, which is a “great passion” for him. He explained that the state-of-the-art machinery is next generation and that the facility has been future-proofed for innovation. This allows the company to develop new products and enter new markets, with test runs beginning in July to ensure the high degree of skill required from the team is maintained.

Growth and Jobs

The company has grown significantly since the 2019 fire. Staff numbers have increased from 500 to more than 1,200. Turnover has tripled during this period. The investment has also created 75 jobs across the business, including 30 at the new plant.

Investment and Commitment

CEO Simon Thorpe said the technology is important, but the company is fundamentally about people. He noted that most bakery managers and supervisors started as apprentices. Thorpe described Jac Griffiths as representing what the company stands for.