Lantmannen Bakery Now Open

I was delighted to join Thomas Boden, Chairman of Lantmannen Group, in opening Lantmannen Unibake's major new bakery at Cambridge Road, to the South of Bedford. We have worked closely with the company since we were first alerted that they were seeking a location for expansion, and it's fantastic that the plant which will create up to 300 new jobs is now up and running. In fact, Lantmannen had originally wanted to locate the new bakery inMilton Keynes, where they have an exiting plant, but after they were unable to secure planning permission at a particular site there, Bedford Borough Council moved quickly to support them in finding a suitable site and creating jobs and economic growth here.

It seems no time at all since I turned the first sod to mark the beginning of construction at the new facility, and it's been remarkable to see it spring up so quickly. The plant is a 'cold bakery,' where bread and pastry products will be processed up to the baking stage, at which point they are distributed to shops and supermarkets, including Tesco and other major stores, for on-site cooking.

Joining me in the photo shown here, from left, are Graham Wright, Operations & Technical Director, Lantmannen Unibake UK Ltd and Thomas Boden, Chairman of Lantmannen Group.