Denbighshire bakery bar manufacturer Wholebake Ltd plans to invest in the contract manufacturing side of its business following a management buy-out of the firm earlier this summer.

Steve Jones, founder of the Corwen-based bakery, was bought out by two existing employees, thanks to a £750,000 investment package from Finance Wales. Managing director Mark Gould and operations director Richard Shaw used the debt and equity investment to acquire Jones’ majority shareholding, after he decided to retire, following 25 years with the business.

The move will enable the firm to expand into new markets. It makes and distributes an extensive line of flapjacks alongside its key line, the 9Bar – a gluten- and dairy-free baked mixed seed bar – which it supplies to all the major multiples.

Gould said the firm was seeking to expand contract manufacturing. “We already make several products for some brands in the UK, and we plan to invest in capacity on that side of the business,” he told British Baker, saying that Wholebake aimed to have at least one new range of products in the market by March next year.

He added that the firm had also been approached to do some product development in a couple of specialist sectors in the baked bars market.