Jones Village Bakery on the hunt for 20 new apprentices

Jones Village Bakery in Wrexham is on the hunt for 20 new apprentices to keep up with demand for its baked goods.

The search is spearheaded by a trio of ‘rising stars’ – managers Tom Breeze, 35, and Jac Griffiths, 29, along with trainee product developer Tilly Squire, 18. Their photos are featured on recruitment banners outside family firm’s bakeries on Wrexham Industrial Estate and up the road in Minera.

Opportunities span the business, according to managing director Robin Jones, who says the firm needs engineers as well as people to work in commercial and finance departments.

Jones Village Bakery, which is celebrating its 90^th anniversary this year, now employs 800 people and has traditionally had a ‘grow-your-own’ policy with most of its bakery managers and supervisors joining as school leavers and climbing the career ladder.

“We’re Europe’s fastest growing bakery,” added Jones. “If we find the right candidates, we can take them on the same journey as Jac, Tom and Tilly who are living proof of what we’re all about – we are looking for more people like them to follow in their footsteps.”

It has expanded rapidly in recent years, aided by the opening of its 140,000 sq ft ‘super bakery’ in 2021. Since then it has added a £16m bread production line to the site as well as a £2m pancake line. Exports are playing an increasingly important role for Jones Village Bakery with demand for its products growing in France and Germany as well as in Australia. The business struck a major supply deal with an Australian wholesale and distribution company for three types of American-style pancakes – buttermilk, blueberry and lemon flavours – at the start of 2024, creating 20 new jobs.

Homegrown success stories

Tom Breeze manages the ‘mothership’ bakery in Minera and started with Jones Village Bakery straight from school at 16. It was initially only meant to be a summer job, but he soon got a taste for the bakery business.

“I never ever dreamed I would achieve what I have when I first started but I have been on a journey with the company and grown with them,” he said. “Having had the benefit of a brilliant apprenticeship, I want to see others follow in my footsteps and it’s rewarding for me to see people progress and reach their full potential.”

Jac Griffiths joined the bakery as an 18-year-old production operative making the company’s signature bread rolls and says that becoming an apprentice put rocket boosters under his career. He is now manager of the company’s flagship 140,000 sq ft bakery on Wrexham Industrial Estate.

“I’m pretty young to be running such a big bakery but the company’s mantra is that if you’re good enough, you’re old enough,” he said, noting that the company is currently paying for him to do a part-time business management degree at Wrexham University.

“If you show the right attitude there a lots of opportunities to climb the career ladder,” Griffiths added. “There’s been a massive growth in the last four or five years and the only way you can do that sustainably and successfully is by having a crop of talent that’s able to rise up the ranks.”

Tilly Squire is still at the beginning of her career with Jones Village Bakery having joined three years ago aged 16.

“From day one, I was treated like an adult and paid like an adult thanks to the company’s equal pay for young workers scheme and everyone is very friendly here,” she said. “My hard work was rewarded with a place on the bakery’s brilliant apprenticeship scheme which led to my current role as part of the new product development team. I really enjoy the hands-on approach, learning about the science and art of baking while we develop and perfect fantastic new products.”