Walkers Shortbread has said that it is going to close its fresh goods bakery as part of a move to increase the profitability of its baking operations.
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In the face of growing competition from supermarkets, which have put a strain on sales of fresh shortbread and oatcakes, the company has decided to convert its bakery in Aberlour, Moray, into a test bakery.
“We are restructuring our bakery business,” Jim Walker, Walkers MD, told just-food this afternoon (14 June). “We are turning the bakery into a test bakery that will be used to develop and trial new lines.”
In an increasingly competitive market, Walker said that innovation and new product development was at the heart of Walkers’ growth strategy.
Walker played down reports that the move would result in job cuts. “One or two part-time staff may lose their jobs as a result, but we expect that hundreds more jobs will be created in the coming months,” he said.
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