Rising demand for the UK’s favourite sourdough has sparked a major milestone for Geary’s Bakery, as the family-run business behind Jason’s Sourdough today unveils a new, £36 million, custom built bakery in Leicester. The third facility in its growing portfolio, will double production capacity and create 380 new jobs.
The expansion represents a significant step forward in the company’s ongoing growth strategy, with the new site set to boost total headcount to 950 by year end – nearly quadrupling the workforce in just four years. The investment is a clear sign of the company’s rapid commercial scale-up across both its branded and own-label bakery operations.
“This allows our business to move to the next chapter of our growth” said Jason Geary, fourth generation, Master Baker of Geary’s Bakery and Jason’s Sourdough. “The demand for Jason’s Sourdough and real artisanal bread continues to grow, and we are constantly inspired by how much people love our bread. This new site enables us to get our products into more stores and in more homes – while staying true to the quality and craft that set us apart.
“This new facility is a vital part of achieving our ambition to make proper bread more accessible to more people.”
As appetite for sourdough and premium bread continues to rise, Jason’s Sourdough is now available in 4,000 stores nationwide. The brand has achieved 107% value growth in the past 12 months and now accounts for around half of the company’s turnover. The new bakery will ramp up in two phases, with phase one just opened and phase two coming on-board in September of this year.
With a growing brand presence and a long standing own-label partnership, Geary’s is investing in the future growth of the premium bread segment, driving growth and market share for the retailer partners they are working with.
Alongside site expansion, the business is continuing to invest in workforce capability, with 13 apprentices currently enrolled across bakery, engineering and operations, and eight new lead bakers being recruited.
Geary’s is currently the fourth largest bread brand in the UK, and the category leader for sourdough, with a long-term ambition to double the size of the business in the coming years.
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