Pie and puddings firm Bowen Quality Foods has recruited a new sales director in a bid to secure new customers and increase sales.

The bakery manufacturer, based in Adlington, Lancashire, has appointed Paul Bowen, son of managing director Vince, to the company. He will help to increase marketing activity for the Bowens brand through social media, as well as working on the company’s website and generating advertising material.

Paul said: “Bowen Quality Foods is constantly growing and has been a successful business now for over 17 years. With these hard economic times, and Bowen still being able to be a good, strong, successful business, it seemed an easy choice to join the company and I have always been into buying and selling things in the past. So this gives me the opportunity to use my sales and marketing skills.”

He added that his new role would also involve learning the ins and outs of the business, with the potential to take over from his father in the future.

During the last 12 months, Bowen said it had seen a 30% increase in sales and, looking ahead, it is aiming to extend its market share of the chip shop sector.

In addition, the firm said it would like to start supplying more schools in light of the horsemeat scandal, which has raised questions about the supply chain of many national food retailers and manufacturers.

“I would also like to start supplying more schools with Bowen’s products, as I think schools, as well as parents, would like to buy local, and as all of our meat is sourced from local farms, it can be traced back to the exact animal and farm.”

Bowen, which has nine members of staff, runs one retail outlet in Adlington, as well as operating a wholesale business that accounts for 50 retail shops, pubs and chip shops.