Shipley-based bakery Just Desserts has appointed three new bakers.
The company said the appointments were to support rising sales, with the family-run business reporting a 38% increase in like-for-like sales against last year.
It added that the new recruits – Johanna Wilton, John Mahony and Stefan Carey-Harrington – bring with them a “wealth of experience”.
Wilton joins the team having worked as a supervisor at an Italian restaurant in Leeds and, prior to that, running her own small cake-making business. Mahony joins from Hughes Family Bakers, having previously held positions with Haighs Bakery and Morrisons, while Carey-Harrington has worked at Waitrose and Sainsbury’s.
Just Desserts has seen sales double within the dessert bar/take-home market against last year, with Individual Cornflake Tarts, Individual Chocolate Puddings and its Chocolate Fudge Cake up 50%, 30% and 25%, respectively.
The company’s Individual Cheesecake range reported a 150% increase in like-for-like sales on this time last year, which it said further “underlines the shift in buying habits to smaller, individual products, which help caterers minimise waste and helps with continued quality, portion size and control”.
“We are delighted to expand our bakery team with these three new talented appointments. We are enjoying a strong period of growth across the bakery, but particularly in the dessert bar and take-home market, where our individual desserts are becoming increasingly popular with caterers,” said James O’Dwyer, managing director at Just Desserts.
“Jo, John and Stefan’s enthusiasm and experience have been invaluable in strengthening the bakery team’s skill-set, which is a critical requirement for creating our premium handcrafted products.”
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