Ready to roll….Derbyshire MP visits Luke Evans Bakery following investment

MP Nigel Mills visits Luke Evans Bakery in Derbyshire

East Midlands bakery Luke Evans has invested £75,000 in new equipment which will allow it to produce up to 9,000 bread rolls per hour.

The new machine gives the Derbyshire family run bakery an extra 50% capacity for roll making and has been purchased in response to increased demand.

Amber Valley MP Nigel Mills recently toured the bakery at Riddings, near Alfreton, to find out more about one of the oldest family run bakeries in the country and to meet some of the 50-strong workforce at Luke Evans, which was founded more than 200 years ago.

Managing director David Yates said: “We gave him a full tour of the bakery, where he was able to talk to the bakers, and see what was involved. We were busy with the bread production, and he watched and asked questions about the various different processes and types of breads the bakers were making.

“It gave us the chance to highlight our latest investment – an Oddy Novatek roll plant which has replaced the Original Oddy we first purchased 22 years ago. The machines, manufactured just outside Leeds, are known in the industry for their incredible strength and durability, and even though it’s 22 years old, I have had numerous customers trying to buy my retired machine. 

“The new equipment is very similar in its design to the original one, but has been upgraded from a two-pocket to a three-pocket machine. This gives us the capacity to produce up to 9,000 bread rolls per hour. The other big advantage is that this new machine will mould all sizes of finger rolls which gives us greater consistency and is less labour intensive. Previously we hand rolled all of our finger rolls. 

“I’m also pleased to be able to buy British, as there is very little bakery machinery still manufactured in the UK.”

Luke Evans sells direct to the public from its shop in Greenhill Lane, Riddings, as well as supplying around 300 trade and wholesale customers across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire, including shops, cafés, schools, and delis. Fully trained craft bakers operate 24 hours a day turning out breads, cakes and savoury products from farmhouse loaves and bread rolls to fresh cream éclairs and iced buns.

The company, founded in 1804 by Henry Evans who named it after his brother Luke, has also recently appointed a new management structure. 

“We are very excited because we have been able to promote largely from our own team,” said Operations Director, Helen Yates. “Jon Booth, our new bakery manager and Paul Booth, our new night shift assistant manager, have both been with us since joining our delivery team straight from school. Phil Knowles has remained in the role of bakery night shift manager and Nick Woodcock, our only external recruit, brings fresh ideas from his previous role at Morrisons, to his new role as assistant manager.” 

A forward-thinking business, while still being loyal to its 200-year-old heritage, the team is passionate about supporting the future of the craft-baking industry.

Luke Evans Bakery operations director Helen Yates has been involved, along with other craft and plant bakeries across the country, in developing Trailblazer Apprenticeships for the bakery industry alongside the National Skills Academy for Food & Drink.

Speaking of his visit, Conservative MP Nigel Mills said: “I was delighted to recently visit Luke Evans at their base in Riddings to meet the team and see the various production stages of their high quality handmade products. Family run businesses like this are the heart of our economy, and Luke Evans is a great example of a fantastic local employer. Having seen their new machinery and tasted their outstanding products, I have no doubt they will continue to thrive and develop.’’

During the course of the visit, David and Helen Yates discussed with him their views on supporting local and small businesses, and how they encourage customers and stockists alike to support local producers.

“We were very pleased to host a visit from our MP Nigel Mills, as it gave us the chance to demonstrate what goes on at one of the region’s oldest family run craft bakeries in the East Midlands at a time when Luke Evans is continuing to invest and develop,” added David Yates.

For more information, visit www.lukeevans.co.uk

Press release issued by Nottingham based PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Luke Evans Bakery joins Feeding Britain’s Future campaign

Derbyshire bakery Luke Evans is taking part in a national scheme aimed at helping young people to secure jobs.

The Riddings-based bakery has pledged support to the Feeding Britain’s Future campaign which is being staged by the food and grocery industry during September.

Organised by research and training charity IGD (Institute of Grocery Distribution) and in partnership with Jobcentre Plus, the campaign is offering 15,000 training opportunities nationally.

At Luke Evans Bakery, operations director Helen Yates will run workshops over two days on September 18th and 20th focusing on compiling CVs and advice on interviews, as well as a tour of the bakery.

“We feel it’s really important to support young people in their bid to secure a job. It can be particularly tough to get on the first rung of the career ladder. Luke Evans Bakery has been hiring local Derbyshire workers for more than 200 years, so we are well placed to offer advice and support about what we look for when it comes to employability,” said Helen Yates.

“At the same time, this campaign gives us, and the sector in general, a great opportunity to inspire the younger generation to consider the food and grocery industry as a career. The food and grocery industry is the UK’s biggest private sector employer, accounting for one in seven jobs, and it needs to attract young people with the right skills in order to continue to thrive.”

Pre-employment workshops are taking place at 1,200 locations across England, Scotland and Wales during September, and more than 180 employers have united to offer 15,000 training opportunities to young people.

IGD chief executive Joanne Denney-Finch said: “This type of programme not only helps young people understand the rules of the game when job hunting, but it also widens the talent pool from which the industry can recruit its future stars and leaders. There are benefits for everyone and we’d encourage other industries to follow suit.”

Luke Evans Bakery, which was founded in 1804, operates 24 hours a day producing a range of breads, cakes and other bakery items.

It supplies around 300 wholesale and trade customers in Derbyshire, East Staffordshire and Nottinghamshire, including shops, universities, cafés, schools and delis. It also has a shop beside its bakery in Greenhill Lane, Riddings, near Alfreton.

For more information visit www.lukeevans.co.uk

Press release issued by Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Charity bake off competition at The Lansdowne in Leicester

Judges are preparing to munch their way through dozens of delicious cakes after almost 90 entries were received in The Lansdowne’s charity bake off event.

The pub in London Road, Leicester, is raising money for Coping with Cancer by staging the event on Saturday March 17th.

Open to amateur and professional bakers, the contest is being judged by Holly Bell, finalist in last year’s BBC Great British Bake Off TV programme, Matthew Wright, editor of Great Food Magazine, Char Lavender of Bitsy's Cupcakery, and Tom Brucciani, managing director of craft bakery and café company Brucciani (Midlands) Ltd.

“We’re delighted with the number of entries we’ve had for The Lansdowne’s charity bake off,” said event organiser Alex Lumley. “Our judges are in for a real treat, with so many cakes and bakes to try.”

Entries are now closed for the contest, which has a range of prizes on offer, including two £50 bar tabs, champagne and tickets to shows at the Capital FM Arena Nottingham.

The event is being staged in aid of Leicestershire and Rutland charity Coping with Cancer, and after the judging, which begins at 1pm, the cakes and breads will be sold off to raise money for the charity.

“We’re hoping to raise as much money as we can for the charity, so hope that Leicester’s cake lovers will come along and support the cause,” added Alex.

www.orangetree.co.uk


Issued by Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Luke Evans Bakery celebrates National Craft Bakers’ Week 2011 (September 19-24) with competitions, demonstrations, tastings and offers

Derbyshire’s Luke Evans Bakery, one of the oldest family-run bakeries in the Midlands, is celebrating National Craft Bakers’ Week 2011 from September 19th to 24th with a string of competitions, demonstrations, tastings and offers.

The bakery, which was founded in 1804 and now employs the eighth generation of the family, will be joining hundreds of other bakers across the UK to mark the event, which promotes the specialist traditional skills that have been practised by craft bakers for generations.

Luke Evans Bakery, based at Riddings near Alfreton, has lined up a series of community events including:

• The chance for a local good cause to win £207 – one pound for every year that Luke Evans has been in business.
• The chance for five local companies to each win a dozen cream cakes for elevenses.
• The opportunity to submit a recipe for a new product and win £50 in a competition.
• A cake decorating demonstration at the bakery on Tuesday September 20th.
• A tasting day at the bakery on Wednesday September 21st as part of the national Big Taste.

“National Craft Bakers’ Week is the chance for craft bakers like Luke Evans Bakery to really showcase the skills of our bakers and the quality of the bread, cakes and other products that they make every day,” said Luke Evans Bakery managing director David Yates.

“We’ve been supplying bread and cakes to the people of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire for more than 200 years, which is an amazing achievement and one that we are very proud of. We’re really looking forward to getting as many people as possible across the community involved in National Craft Bakers’ Week and hope that our programme of events features something for everyone.”

National Craft Bakers’ Week, which is run by the National Association of Master Bakers, is being spearheaded nationally by double Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes.

In Derbyshire Luke Evans is throwing open the doors of its bakery at Green Hill Lane, Riddings, on Tuesday 20th September between 9am and 1pm for free cake decorating demonstrations, with a 20% discount on any celebration cake orders for those who attend.

On Wednesday September 21st, visitors are being invited to take part in the national Big Taste event going on all over the country by popping into Luke Evans for a tasting event between 9.30am and 4.30pm.

The bakery is also looking for the most deserving good cause within two miles of its premises to receive a £207 donation from the firm to mark National Craft Bakers’ Week, and is inviting applications from charities and other organisations.

It’s also running a recipe competition, with the winning entry being put into full production at the bakery and named after the person who put forward the idea. First prize is a £50 voucher to spend on Luke Evans bread and cakes.

Finally, five deserving firms within 5 miles of the bakery will receive a dozen free cream cakes for elevenses on Friday 23rd September. For competition details and daily offers on products in the shop during National Craft Bakers’ Week visit www.lukeevans.co.uk

David’s daughter Sarah became the eighth generation of the family to join Luke Evans Bakery when she started work at the bakery last year, and it is believed the bakery is one of the oldest still run by the same family.

Luke Evans Bakery sells direct to the public from its shop in Green Hill Lane, Riddings, and supplies around 300 trade customers, including shops, schools, delis and Pride Park – the home of Derby County Football Club.
Fully trained craft bakers operate 24 hours a day turning out breads, cakes and savoury products.

Luke Evans Bakery can also make cakes for every occasion… from weddings and birthdays to special anniversaries and retirements.

For more information contact the bakery on 01773 602764 or visit www.lukeevans.co.uk

Issued by Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

New range for Original Cake Company thanks to Food and Drink iNet (Innovation Network) support

Lincoln-based Original Cake Company is developing a new range of cakes as part of its expansion plans, thanks to support from the Food and Drink iNet (Innovation Network).

The business, which specialises in fruit cakes, is diversifying into baking a selection of non-fruited cakes.

It already has a customer lined up for the new products and hopes to create two or three new jobs as a result of the development, said general manager Simon Woodiwiss.

The Food and Drink iNet has awarded £7,437.50 Innovation Advice and Guidance support for the development of the six-strong range of new cakes, which the Original Cake Company is match funding.

“The Food and Drink iNet support is very welcome, as it’s made it easier for us to fund the project and meant that we have been able to bring it forward,” said Simon Woodiwiss. “We have an existing customer for the range, and it may possibly create two or three new jobs, depending on how successful the new range is.”

The Food and Drink iNet, which is funded by East Midlands Development Agency (emda) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), is one of four regional iNets that operates across the region. It has a pot of finance available this summer to provide match-funded support for eligible East Midlands projects in the food and drink sector, which could be focusing on new products, accessing new markets or looking at new ways of working.

Richard Worrall, Food and Drink iNet director, said: “One of the Food and Drink iNet’s roles is to support firms in new product development and to help them create new markets. We are pleased to support the Original Cake Company as it diversifies with a new selection of cakes.”

The Original Cake Company, with more than 30 years of baking experience, used the funding support to help with new product development, holding consumer review sessions, and the design of packaging and labels. It hopes to launch the new range later this month (July).

The Food and Drink iNet aims to build on the tradition of innovation in the food and drink industry in the region by helping to create opportunities to develop knowledge and skills, and to help research, develop and implement new products, markets, services and processes. It is managed by a consortium, led by the Food and Drink Forum and including Food Processing Faraday, Nottingham Trent University, the University of Lincoln, and the University of Nottingham. For more information visit www.eminnovation.org.uk/food

For more information please contact the Food and Drink iNet on info@foodanddrink-inet.org.uk

www.originalcake.co.uk

Nottingham public relations company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk