St Pierre Groupe’s founder and MD Jeremy Gilboy has said it is “absolutely the right time” to join the Federation of Bakers (FOB) as the company forecasts turnover of £87m this year.

The business had grown its international sales by 150% and had “very ambitious plans for 2020”, added Gilboy.

The global bakery firm, which rebranded from Carrs Foods in March, has become an associate member of the FOB, joining the likes of AAH (UK), British Bakels, ADM Milling, and AIB International UK.

St Pierre’s portfolio includes Baker Street, which it said had achieved 80% value growth year on year in loaves alone, and Paul Hollywood, which has unveiled NPD including Paul Hollywood Italian Volcanic Stonebaked Flatbreads, aimed at younger consumers.

“We are delighted to welcome St Pierre Groupe as an associate member of our organisation and hope to support them as they continue to expand their business,” said Gordon Polson, chief executive of the FOB, which represents the interests of the UK’s largest baking companies that manufacture sliced and wrapped bread, bakery snacks and other bread products.

In March, St Pierre Groupe announced it had appointed former Tyrrells chief executive David Milner as non-executive chairman and, in August, appointed Chris McLaughlin as UK commercial director.

Its turnover was £69m in 2018, and is forecast to double in the next three years to £150m by 2020. Its products are stocked in 20,000 stores internationally, with 60% of its distribution in the US.