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Bakery supplier Lantmännen Unibake UK will invest £4.4 million into its Milton Keynes factory as part of ongoing growth plans.
The first stage of improvements comes with an investment of £1.1 million into the company’s bun line capability, including Lantmännen Unibake UK’s Americana brand and own-label fast food breads. Additional updates totalling a further £3.3 million will come later in the year.
The factory upgrades are in direct response to growth in the burger market, with Lantmännen Unibake pledging to meet demand for high-quality baked goods.
Lantmännen Unibake UK managing director Tim Robinson said: “This investment is a key part of our ongoing growth plans and reflects the growth in the burger market. Not only is the UK burger market currently worth £3.3 billion, but its popularity continues to grow with growth in 2017 up by 3%.
“To meet this demand, and ensure our customers are able to continue serving their customers on-trend, gourmet and quality classic buns, we are investing in our production capabilities – with this upgraded line being the first step of many.”
The changes to the line include a state-of-the-art automated packaging system and quality vision system, which will ensure higher quality standards are met whilst reducing wastage. This new equipment is already up and running in the factory, enhancing production capabilities.
The largest improvement is an increase in capacity – the new technology has boosted total capacity by approximately 10%, significantly growing the tonnage produced each week.
Lantmännen Unibake said that “evolution” in the burger market means that customers now have higher expectations, and are increasingly demanding higher quality from burgers. It cited research that claimed consumers would pay on average £1.25 more for a burger with a gourmet bun.
Richard Stowey, operations director for Lantmännen Unibake UK, commented: “Operationally, this investment allows us to simultaneously increase our capacity and optimise our product quality for our customers, who will shortly be seeing the benefits.”
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