Bertie’s Bakery marks first anniversary with new hires and NPD

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L to r: Geoff Lee, head baker Gavin Hawthorne and Nigel Chambers

Source: Bertie’s Bakery

Head baker Gavin Hawthorne (centre) with new master bakers Geoff Lee (left) and Nigel Chambers (right)

Magherafelt-based Bertie’s Bakery has marked its first anniversary in business with new hires and additions to its product range.

The business, located at Creagh Industrial Park in Northern Ireland, was started by former Genesis Crafty managing director Brian McErlain in March last year and represents an investment of £1m.

Over the past 12 months, the company has more than doubled its workforce to 26 employees, expanded the stores its products are stocked in from 12 to 104 and increased its fleet of delivery vans from two to six.

To mark its first anniversary, Bertie’s Bakery is rolling out a brand revamp alongside 35 new products. With a focus on cakes, the new lines include traybakes, cake slices and sharing slabs such as Biscoff &Nutella Tiffin, a peanut butter brownie and salted caramel cupcakes (see full list below).

Its product range also includes baps, rolls, bread, and scones as well as cakes and pastries.

Bertie's Bakery Treat Bakery products

Source: Bertie’s Bakery

“In March last year, we took a giant leap of faith by entering an already crowded bakery market during an uncertain and unsettling time for business,” said McErlain.

“We made the positive decision that our new bakery could play an important part in answering a need for a potential surge in demand for fresh products. Our twin goals were to achieve standout and swiftly gain a reputation for the quality and taste of our products.

“To that end and focusing on handcrafted and hand finished methods we assembled a highly skilled team of bakers.”

The team was further enhanced this month with two more master bakers joining the business from Hyndman’s Bakery.

“Geoff Lee and Nigel Chambers together bring over 50 years of baking expertise to the company with particular skills in soda farl production and will make a significant contribution to our desire to produce both traditional products and new interpretations of old favourites,” McErlain added.

The new items joining Bertie’s Bakery are: