Scone manufacturer Haywood & Padgett (H&P) is investing in expansion at its Barnsley bakery, with plans to develop new lines, and diversify into foodservice.

The firm currently supplies predominantly retailer own-label scones, as well as H&P branded scones and Melters into the major multiples in the UK, including Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons.

Senior account manager Lee Ingram told British Baker that the firm’s ability to expand is, in part, down to the support shown by the supermarkets, as well as increasing sales. Ingram said the firm is currently on target to achieve 12-13% year-on-year growth, with turnover currently just below £11m.

Ingram said the firm has invested just under £500,000 so far on a new mixer and an additional silo, which have allowed it to achieve increased buying efficiencies. It is also looking to double the size of its warehouse in December. "It will enable us to store more products, and to make the business even more efficient," explained Ingram.

"The aim next year is to try and break into some new lines," he said. "We’ve asked the supermarkets to come to us with any particular products that they would be interested in us making for them."

He said the firm would happily invest in new machinery as long as it got the support of the supermarkets in terms of orders.

"We are also now branching out into the catering/foodser-vice area, which is probably our biggest area of expansion," said Ingram, who added the firm is currently in talks with a number of foodservice firms about supplying them with scones. He said this move was one of the key reasons behind the expansion, as the firm would have the capability to supply its products frozen.

H&P currently manufactures around 35,000 scones per hour, but is capable of making up to 50,000.