Social enterprise Half the Story is looking to double its workforce after opening a new biscuit production site in Nottingham.
The move into the new 1,270 sq ft unit, which was custom designed by catering solutions provider PKL, will allow the organisation to increase capacity threefold as it aims to provide jobs for up to 20 new people facing major barriers to employment such as homelessness.
Half the Story was created in 2023 as a joint venture between charities Green Pastures and Grace Enterprises, operating out of what was essentially a ‘bakery in a box’ at the same location on Wilford Industrial Estate.
It produces a range of handmade shortbread biscuits in three flavours – Original (vegan), Lemon, and Choc Chip – sold in twin- and triple-packs inside plastic-free compostable packaging. These are supplied to the likes of wholesaler Delicious Ideas Food Group, foodservice firm Compass, hospital distributor Mawdsleys, train operators LNER and EMR, car brands Rolls-Royce and Jaguar Land Rover, Oxford and Nottingham Trent universities, Lancashire Cricket, and Nottingham Forest football club.
Every 100 biscuits made by the social enterprise creates an hour of real Living Wage work. To date, over 10,000 hours of work have been generated and more than a million biscuits sold.
Its mission is to break the vicious cycle of unemployment and provide not only paid work but also mentoring and holistic, trauma-informed support. As a result, 96% of employees said that working for Half the Story affected their life positively.
“I was struggling to find a job which would support my needs as I am autistic,” commented one worker, who preferred to remain anonymous. “Previous job placements had failed because I didn’t get much support or training to cope with my additional needs.
“[At Half the Story] I have liked learning new skills, I have lovely work colleagues – it is a small team and I feel comfortable and encouraged there. They are a very friendly bunch. It gives me confidence and a sense of purpose, and regular routine in my week,” added the staff member.
PKL drew on its decades of experience supporting major catering operations and close collaboration with the biscuit maker to design a space that maximises production while ensuring a supportive, safe, and efficient working environment for the team.
Other partners generously supporting the new bakery premises include the Randal Charitable Foundation, Lloyds Bank Foundation, the Rank Foundation, The Swann Foundation, the Centre for Social Justice, and law firm Rothera Bray, which undertook pro bono legal work to secure the commercial lease.
“We can’t believe the incredible growth we’ve seen here,” said Matt Parfitt, CEO at Half the Story. “For us, it’s not about baking biscuits, but about changing lives.
“We want to be pioneers in the biscuit industry, considering our environmental impact. We want to provide transformative employment opportunities for those that need it most. We can’t wait to see all that happens in the future.”
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