Finsbury Food Group is implementing a multi-million-pound investment plan into its dedicated foodservice site, Kara, reinforcing its commitment to the growing out-of-home and wholesale bakery markets.
The Whitefield, Manchester based factory currently produces over 1.2 million bread rolls per day, supplying key national wholesalers and end-users across hospitality, healthcare, education and the quick serve grab-and-go industry. It produces floured baps, brioche style buns and ready to roll pizza doughballs.
The investment into the site is underway and will be rolled out over the next 12 months. Phase one focuses on product consistency and delivering quality, with the factory’s capabilities being enhanced through the implementation of a robotic water splitter to deliver a greater variety of designs and finishes on rolls and loaves. This phase also focuses on making significant asset upgrades across the proofing and packing areas.
Phase two in 2026, will enhance Kara’s product presentation and will optimise both quality and efficiencies throughout the end-to-end process. In response to the rising demand for frozen dough balls from the quick serve sector, the investment includes a major upgrade to its pizza doughball production line, featuring a new divider and line setup, which is expected to increase capacity.
Suzanne Cooper, Site Operations Manager at Kara, said: “This is a transformative time for Kara, we’re upgrading almost every part of our production process, from proofing and slicing, to packing and wrapping, to improve quality, drive efficiency and unlock innovation for our customers. From advanced robotics to new packaging lines, this investment is a major vote of confidence from Finsbury in the future of Kara and the wider foodservice market.”
In addition to enhancing manufacturing capabilities, the site’s sustainability credentials are also being bolstered thanks to energy efficiency gains. Recent initiatives include the adoption of smart LED lighting, better internal temperature controls to significantly reduce heat loss and the rollout of a site-wide energy management system, which aligns with Finsbury’s wider ESG commitments.
Originally acquired by Finsbury in 2014 as part of Fletchers Group of Bakeries, Kara is Finsbury’s only site dedicated exclusively to foodservice. This ongoing investment into Kara reflects Finsbury’s broader strategy across the wider business to innovate, scale and build capability and capacity to strengthen its market presence across the foodservice and export channels in the UK and Europe.
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Joseph Clarke
Editor, International Bakery
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