29 April 2008 – Welsh media report that Cumbria-based The Village Bakery has struck a five-year partnership with Hero Group, an international food company, regarding the production of a range of gluten-free bakery products.
A new company, Village Bakery (Nutrition) Ltd was set up as part of the deal, which marks a major expansion for the family-run organic bakery company.
A new GBP3 million, 2,230 square metre factory in Wrexham, Wales, will start producing gluten-free products in June and full capacity should be achieved by August, according to Village Bakery Joint managing director Robin Jones. The new plant, the most automated of its type in Europe, will be able to produce 2,500 loaves an hour and four million loaves a year.
Output from the Wrexham factory will be marketed and distributed by Hero in the UK, Sweden, Finland, Italy, Spain and Portugal.