New factory spells £12m jobs boost (From Gazette & Herald)

Yorkshire Bakery factory spells £12m jobs boost for Norton

12:55pm Wednesday 10th October 2012 in News By Karen Darley

A NATIONWIDE food supplier is to invest more than £12 million in a new factory in Norton in a deal which will create at least 150 new jobs.

Hull-based Cranswick has teamed up with Norton firm Yorkshire Baker to expand its production of pies and savouries.

Yorkshire Baker was set up on the Norton Grove Industrial estate by Gill Ridgard, a farmer’s daughter, four years ago.

Initially employing just 11 staff, Gill patented her own “Yorkish pasty”, selling to local delicatessens and farmshops. The firm, which has won awards for its local specialities, now supplies its products to national chains including Tesco and Marks and Spencer.

Cranswick commercial director Bernard Hoggarth said the firm had been approached by Yorkshire Baker and had been impressed by the company’s products.

“The existing site is only a small facility and obviously cannot significantly increase sales as it is,” he said.

“This will be a joint venture with us working with Yorkshire Baker who will trade singly within the Cranswick organisation.”

Planning permission for the factory was approved by Ryedale District Council in July.

Work is shortly due to start on the building which will provide a state-ofthe- art facility to supply a range of “premium savoury pastry products”.

Cranswick was formed by farmers in the early 1970s to produce pig feed. Activities have since been extended from this agricultural base into the food sector.

The business is focused predominantly on the supply of fresh and processed food to the UK food retail, food manufacturing and food service categories.

Mr Hoggarth said: “Although we are providing a new factory, Yorkshire Baker will continue with its existing artisan process and everything will continue to be handcrafted.

“We are not in the business to change things for the sake of it and with a local workforce in place we will ensure those skills are kept in place while investing in their future and knowledge.

“This is great news for the area and we are looking at initially creating 150 jobs but as sales grow we would like to see that increase.”

Gill said it was a positive step for Norton and it was encouraging that a company such as Cranswick was prepared to invest in the area.

She said: “It is fantastic that this investment is being made which will enable us to build bigger premises and supply more products.

“But we will not deviate from the way we have grown by supplying top quality hand-made food and that ethos of the company will continue.”