Cornish baker WC Rowe has become the third and largest baker to commit to paying the living wage.
From 1 November the baker, which supplies baked products to customers including supermarkets, independents and the foodservice sector, will pay the new wage, according to The Grocer.
The decision will benefit 240 of Rowe’s staff who are currently paid between the national minimum wage of £6.50 an hour and the living wage rate of £7.85. It is reviewed annually in November and takes into account the cost of living.
WC Rowe chief executive Kerry Lynch said the move to commit to paying the living wage is a sign that the baker has high standards and high rewards. He said it represented a “significant investment” made possible by the business’s strong performance of the last two years.
The baker has become one of the largest food and drink companies to sign up to pay staff the living wage, as uptake in the sector is slow.
Rhys Moore, director of the Living Wage Foundation, said: “WC Rowe will be one of the first major food manufacturers to accredit and we hope the leadership they show will encourage others in the sector to consider the living wage.”
The baker spent a planned £2m on restoring its Falmouth bakery after it was ravaged by fire in July. It reopened in early November just 72 days after the event.
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