Cavan Bakery, a family-owned business, tripled its footprint by moving into a new, 15,000-sq ft baking facility in Walton-on-Thames. For this expansion, it received a GBP 1.5m funding package from Lloyds Bank. The new bakery offers greater capacity to store ingredients and boost production.
The business, which also has 13 bakery shops across Surrey and South London, and a café at Molesey Boat Club, produces 40 different types of bread each day and 30 different pastries, buns and cakes, alongside snacks such as sausage rolls and sandwiches. The majority of Cavan Bakery’s specialty breads are sourdoughs. In total, over 80,000 products are supplied to its shops and cafés as well as wholesale to local businesses each week. Cavan Bakery is looking to open at least three more shops this year.
The bakery employs around 180 people. It says it considers a modern production facility essential to attract and retain people. The new investment included new machinery to help reduce running costs: for example, it reduced the number of ovens it needs, by investing in larger, more efficient models, they illustrate.
Cavan is also exploring using electric delivery trucks, having recently invested in its first electric van.
In addition to its retail outlets, the business supplies over 100 wholesale customers in the area, including local cafés, restaurants and farm shops, which accounts for around 15% of its total business. Ingredients for its products are sourced as locally as possible to reduce food miles, and any surplus food is donated to local community kitchens, food banks, homeless shelters and breakfast clubs.
Jeff Greenall, Director at Cavan Bakery, said: “We’re really privileged that we’ve been able to grow at a strong and steady rate, particularly over the last decade as people have discovered the craft of skilled artisan bakers who provide quality and diverse goods. We are proud to provide our customers with local, sustainably-sourced products.
“People are at the heart of our success. This includes our fabulous staff and our loyal customers.
In return, we want to create the best products possible at an affordable cost. Our new bakery and shops will ensure that, because quality is baked into everything we do – literally.”
Victoria Vawdrey, Relationship Director at Lloyds Bank, said: “Cavan Bakery is an excellent example of a business that puts its customers at its heart. Jeff and the team ensure that new products, as well as beloved staples, are produced with the love and care that customers appreciate in artisan producers. In particular, it’s so encouraging to see a business giving back to the community too, supporting local initiatives and helping to create a fairer world. We’re proud to be by Cavan Bakery’s side, and we look forward to remaining there as it continues to grow.”
Photos: Cavan Bakery
