Bakery ingredients supplier Puratos is set to expand its Buckingham facility as it moves production of fillings and sourdough to meet growing demand across the UK.
The expansion is part of plans to move from its site in Simonswood, Liverpool to a consolidated site, where Puratos UK has been making patisserie, bakery mixes and improvers for over 30 years. As part of the move, the company will increase capacity for fillings and add the capability to make patisserie glazes.
The Simonswood site was leased and the arrangement will end in early 2026, Puratos confirmed. The move affects 50 people at the location. According to Puratos, some are relocating to Buckingham, others have switched to working-from-home arrangements, and some are taking up new roles within the company. Some have opted for redundancy, and Puratos added that is helping staff with CV writing, retraining and outplacement support.
Meanwhile, the new production lines at Buckingham are due to come online in November 2025. The supply of all Puratos UK ingredients remains unaffected during this time, it noted.
Puratos said the expanded capacity will reaffirm the Buckingham site as a Centre of Technical Excellence and will create 37 new jobs in the community, within production, warehousing, research & development, quality, and engineering.
The firm is also making advancements on its sustainability strategy, with plans to ‘significantly reduce’ plastic packaging for its fillings. In line with the company’s commitment to reduce the amount of single-use plastic in its operations, Puratos UK will move away from ‘bag-in-bucket’ packaging to heat-sealed buckets and pouches for its range of chocolate, cream, caramel, and fruit fillings, to lower its environmental footprint and help customers to meet their sustainability goals.
The new facilities will also have BREEAM certification – which focuses on reducing carbon emissions, while improving a building’s energy efficiency – which Puratos UK said supports its goal to become carbon neutral by 2030.
Julia Darvill, managing director at Puratos UK & Ireland, described the expansion as “an important step in meeting the needs of our customers and British consumers”.
“The UK is a large and growing market for sweet baked goods, driven by consumer desire for affordable treats and healthier indulgence,” she explained. “With all our technical specialists in one location, we will be better placed to address our customers’ challenges, bring bakery creativity to life and help them succeed in today’s exciting but challenging market.”
The latest move follows the 2022 acquisition of Kent-based fruit grower and processor Fourayes which supplies fruit fillings, jams, and mincemeat to industry from its 100-acre orchard.
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