Corby-based BakeAway, Jus-Rol manufacturer, issued a statement following the decision of the Competition Appeal Tribunal for the Jus-Rol brand to be divested. BakeAway expressed its disappointment that the action called by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) will be carried out. BakeAway joined the Cérélia group in 2016.

The company “stands by its view that the CMA misunderstands the competitive market dynamic in which it operates and has downplayed the future benefits of the acquisition for consumers. In fact, the CMA never specifically analyzed what impact the merger would have on the price and quality offering for consumers, if any. Rather the CMA ‘focused on the supply of Dough to Bake products to grocery retailers’ and their ease of doing business rather than making any findings as to impact on price and quality for consumers,” the company shared in the statement.

Jan Boers, Managing Director at BakeAway says: “We’re very disappointed with the final ruling and still believe that the pastry and dough category is in desperate need of innovation and investment. In line with the UK government’s ambition to drive growth, we purchased the Jus-Rol brand and brought production back to the UK, to the new factory we built in Corby.

We sought to create a more innovative market offer for UK consumers and a more price-competitive category by bringing together our expertise in pastry and dough and the strength of the Jus-Rol brand. We remain committed to those goals, and we are now considering all our options, including an appeal.”

If BakeAway pursues an appeal, no action would be taken with respect to divestment until the appeal has been determined. Such a divestment would be either a total or partial sale of the Jus-Rol brand.

BakeAway has manufactured Jus-Rol out of its factory in Corby, Northamptonshire, since 2021, having brought production of the brand – previously offshored to Europe – back to the UK. BakeAway’s acquisition of Jus-Rol in January 2022 was a pivotal moment for the pastry and dough category and would have allowed the business to manage and grow the brand, bringing much-needed investment to the sector.

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CMA: Cérélia must sell Jus-Rol

Photo: Jus-Rol social media