Yorkshire scones get thumbs up down under as bakery gets right mix for global export drive

21/02/2012

A Yorkshire bakery is exporting traditional fresh British scones to Australia as part of a major new exporting drive which is set to see it increase production and create more local jobs.

Barnsley-based scones manufacturer, Haywood & Padgett Ltd, has started the export initiative after stepping up production by investing more than £2m in new technology and buildings, including a new 40-metre long, £600,000 oven which will produce 50,000 scones an hour, with support from Yorkshire Bank’s Doncaster Financial Solutions Centre (FSC) through the Bank’s Investing for Growth initiative.

Haywood & Padgett, Carlton Industrial Estate, which makes one million scones a day, has also started exporting to France, Portugal and Spain and plans to expand into the US and Asia as part of a growth strategy which will also see it extend its premises.

The company was founded in 1987 as a one-man business by managing director, Wayne Padgett, with just a rolling pin, pastry cutter, a food mixer, £5,000 of his own cash and a loan for the same amount from Yorkshire Bank.

Now, Haywood & Padgett, which delivers daily to the major multiplies including ASDA, Morrisons, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Iceland, ALDI and Lidl, has 120 staff and a £13m turnover.

Wayne Padgett said: “This business started with Yorkshire Bank backing and now the bank is supporting us as we take the company into a new era. The funding is helping us expand our current business and invest in new machinery. This will make us more efficient and double our production capacity so we can create more jobs for the local community.

“We believe that we are the world’s biggest scones manufacturer and our scones are being very well received in Australia. We are pleased to be expanding in a difficult climate as we have big plans with other trademarked lines which are to be developed thanks to Yorkshire Bank’s investment and our strong partnerships with supermarkets.

“We are also working to increase our business with airports as we feel it is very British to have a scone with a cup of tea and the airlines are helping us to promote this. Without Yorkshire Bank’s help we would not be able to consider expanding. It would just not be an option.”

Yorkshire Bank’s Investing for Growth initiative also enables businesses to take loan repayment holidays, interest-only repayments and extended loan and credit terms to support quality growth opportunities. Businesses taking up the package can re-invest the cash in their operation for expansion, new staff, equipment, machinery and commercial development.

Yorkshire Bank Doncaster FSC managing partner, Neil Bradburne, said: “We’ve supported Haywood and Padgett from the very start. The business has stayed true to its original principles of high quality and value for money so is ideally placed to continue to expand and Yorkshire Bank is pleased to be supporting this business through our Investing for Growth initiative.”