Roberts Bakery has been saved from going under by the private investment vehicle of UK-based entrepreneur and billionaire Ranjit Singh Boparan.
It emerged earlier this month that Roberts Bakery, based in Northwich, Cheshire, had filed a so-called Notice of Intention (NOI) to appoint administrators.
However, Mr Boparan has now stepped in to rescue family-run Roberts Bakery via his Boparan Private Office (BPO) investment platform, saving 433 jobs in the process.
The businessman is also the owner of 2 Sisters Food Group, what is now a predominately poultry processor and major private-label supplier to the UK’s major supermarkets following a number of asset disposals.
Mr Boparan and his wife Baljinder are the sole shareholders in 2 Sisters via their holding company Boparan Holdings.
The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The company will be renamed Roberts Bakery 1887 to reflect the founding of the branded and own-label business.
“The partnership will support the existing management team and bring new talent into the business to ensure a sustainable and exciting future for this iconic brand,” a statement read.
A BPO spokesperson added: “We are proud to play a part in preserving this iconic bakery, its people, and its heritage. Frank Roberts & Sons has been at the heart of the community for over a century, and we are committed to supporting its long-term success as Roberts Bakery 1887 Ltd.”
Roberts Bakery had cited “exceptionally difficult” challenges for its decision to file for administration, including inflation pressures, rising energy and ingredients costs, and competition from its peers.
The business was also hit by a fire at its Northwich bakery two years ago.
With a group turnover of £96m ($128.1m), the branded portfolio under the Roberts name includes bread, buns and rolls, crumpets, and biscuits.
It is also engaged in foodservice with the likes of sandwiches and toasties. As well as the Northwich bakery, the company operates two other factories in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, and at Winsford, which is also in Cheshire.
However, in September Roberts Bakery announced its intention to close the site in Ilkeston because it was “no longer aligned with the company’s future plans”.
The statement was accompanied by a comment from the bakery’s family owners: “The Roberts family are profoundly relieved that the business has been saved by a consortium of the management team backed by BPO and that there will be a recovery plan to ensure it can prosper and thrive and that so many jobs will be saved.
“We are of course sad it will no longer be us who are there to share in this new opportunity.”
Asked for an update on the status of the Ilkeston site, a spokesperson for Roberts Bakery told Just Food the factory had been sold prior to the administration proceedings, confirming the buyer as UK bakery peer Warburtons.
All of the directors and family members of Roberts Bakery will no longer be involved with the business, the spokesperson clarified.
Meanwhile, BPO has also been approached to ascertain what other assets are held by the investment vehicle and Boparan Holdings.
In 2022, BPO stepped in to save a bakery plant from closure – the Elkes Biscuits factory located in Uttoxeter in the English Midlands. At the time, the investment office also housed turkey supplier Bernard Matthews and restaurant chains Carluccios, Giraffe and Ed’s Easy Diner.
The same year, Banham Poultry in Norfolk in eastern England was added to the BPO portfolio of companies after clearance from the UK's competition authority.
