Bertie’s Bakery and Baked Earth Bakery have landed listings in major UK retailers for their new high-protein rolls and naan bites, respectively.
County Antrim-based Bertie’s, which expanded its workforce last year after securing a Tesco supply deal worth £2m, is now extending its relationship with Henderson Group through the rollout of a new product line in over 80 of the company’s stores across Northern Ireland. The high-protein rolls, which are available in four-packs of either white or seeded varieties, are expected to boost revenue further due to strong consumer demand.
Bertie’s wide range of bakery products including scones, buns, and cakes is stocked across 150 independent Spar, Eurospar, and Vivo stores in addition to 81 Henderson Retail locations.
The business, which operates a 15,000 sq ft manufacturing site at Creagh Industrial Park near Magherafelt, said it has experienced strong growth in sales since it began listing with Henderson Group just over four years ago.
“Protein is one of the top food trends this year due to many people wanting to reduce their carbohydrate intake and increase their intake of protein,” commented founder and MD Brian McErlain, who started Bertie’s in 2020 after managing his parents’ 50-year-old bakery business, Genesis Crafty, formerly known as McErlain’s.
“As consumer needs and wants evolve, we want to be at the forefront of that,” added McErlain, noting that over 21% of the calorific content of the new rolls is protein.
Nottingham-based Baked Earth Bakery, meanwhile, has launched its Garlic & Coriander Naan Bites into 241 Asda stores nationwide.
Coming in packs of 20, the naan bites are vegan friendly and suitable for home freezing, take just a few minutes to cook in the oven or grill, and can be used for dipping, topping, as a side, or served in a big bowl for sharing.
“We believe we are the first to market with these delicious and versatile naan bites, which are mini versions of our popular naan breads,” expressed Baked Earth MD Dan Butt. “As a family, we’ve been making naans for over 50 years and this collaboration with Asda means that their customers can now buy our authentic Baked Earth Bakery naan breads for their own families to enjoy.”
Butt’s grandfather opened the first curry house in Nottingham in the early 1970s. His family then set up a purpose-built bakery factory at Lenton Industrial Estate in 1990 to supply retailers and foodservice operators with authentic naans and flatbreads. Products are made using bespoke ovens the Butts developed themselves that replicate a traditional tandoor.
Last month, Baked Earth unveiled Turkish-style and Greek-style flatbreads for foodservice, available via frozen food distributor Central Foods.
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