Spicers Bakery in Navan, Co Meath, Ireland, is to move its L’Artisan division to a new bakery at the end of January to meet increased demand.

MD John Spicer founded the L’Artisan company three years ago to make and distribute artisan-style bread, confectionery and dessert products for caterers.

The new bakery is on the large Mullaghboy industrial estate just outside Navan and will have 650 sq m of production space.

L’Artisan currently employs around 25 people and is likely to add to those numbers.

About half the staff are non-Irish, including 10 pastry bakers from France - French croissants are a speciality.

The firm’s existing bakery in Navan is to be retained for traditional Irish breads.

Spicers also has a retail outlet, Cooper’s Fine Foods, in the Navan shopping centre.