04-07-2025
Popular 138 year old bread maker that's sold in Morrisons, Tesco and Asda to axe 250 jobs
A POPULAR 138 year old bakery is set to axe 250 jobs following two very difficult years.
Roberts Bakers, which supplies products to major supermarkets like Asda, Morrisons, and Tesco, is set to slash its workforce at its factory in Cheshire.
2
The decision follows two years of tough challenges, including a devastating fire in 2023 that severely disrupted operations.
The bakery, which employs around 700 people, said it had lost two-thirds of its bread production capacity for over a year after the fire.
Supermarkets sell the bakery's loaves for as little as £1.35.
Despite efforts to recover, bread sales have not bounced back as expected, with customers turning to alternative suppliers during the downtime.
The firm also cited wider pressures, including rising energy bills, higher ingredient costs, and the impact of the cost-of-living crisis.
Turnover has dropped sharply, falling from £96million in 2023 to £76million, despite the company reporting a pre-tax profit of £20 million this year.
Roberts said it has no choice but to restructure its operations to secure the future of the business.
A consultation period lasting at least 45 days will begin soon for affected staff at the Rudheath site.
Employees at Roberts' other factories in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, and Winsford will not be impacted.
The Roberts family has owned the business since it started in 1887.
Major UK pub chain announces sweeping closures & job losses
The Roberts family said the decision was "the hardest" in the bakery's 138-year history.
The company said: "We've faced unprecedented challenges, including Covid-19, the war in Ukraine, and rising costs.
"The fire was another blow, and rebuilding has been incredibly tough," the company said.
"This step is necessary to safeguard the bakery's future."
Local MP Andrew Cooper called the news"devastating" for the community.
He told BBC News: "It's more than just a business, it's a local institution that generations have worked for, and taken pride in."
"My thoughts are with every employee and their family at this very difficult time."
Roberts Bakery's statement in full
"Roberts Bakery first began serving its community of Northwich in 1887 and throughout these 138 years has been deeply rooted in that community.
"As a family we have shared a strong set of values and have been immensely proud of our connection to the people we serve.
"Our bread has been a part of daily life for many, making its way into homes across the UK and beyond through major supermarkets.
"Today we are faced with serious challenges that mean, with sadness, we are today announcing a significant reorganisation of its operations.
"This difficult but essential step, which includes redundancies, is being taken to secure the future employment and long-term sustainability of the bakery to ensure it can continue to serve the community.
"Like many businesses, Roberts Bakery has faced severe challenges in recent years. We have navigated the global impact of Covid-19, the economic pressures from Russia's war in Ukraine, and the ongoing cost of living crisis, which we know has impacted families everywhere.
"These factors have had a direct impact on our energy costs, ingredient prices, and the everyday budgets of our customers.
"Adding to these difficulties, in 2023 a major fire at our bakery in Rudheath completely shut down a large part of our operations for a prolonged period of time. Getting back on our feet after the fire has been incredibly tough, requiring a huge effort from our team, which we are incredibly grateful for, tremendous support from the community and the understanding of our customers.
"Despite our best efforts, the combined weight of these challenges has led us to make an incredibly difficult decision."
Which other businesses are cutting jobs?
Clarks has slashed 1,200 jobs in a bid to cut costs.
Its sales dropped by nearly £100million last year, and the company lost £39.2million before tax.
High costs from closing stores and property expenses have made things worse.
Meanwhile, Nissan is getting rid of 250 jobs at its Sunderland factory.
This comes after the car maker reported losing £4billion last year.
Meanwhile, Pizza Hut is introducing digital ordering screens in all 136 of its dine-in restaurants.
This change means 120 front-end staff will lose their jobs.
The company employs 3,000 people across the UK and says the cuts are part of a plan to modernise its business.
What are my rights if I'm made redundant?
YOU are entitled to statutory redundancy pay if you have worked for your employer for two years or more.
The statutory rate is based on your age, weekly pay and number of years in the job.
You will get:
Half a week's pay for each full year you worked aged under 22
One week's pay for each full year you worked aged 22 or older, but under 41
One and half week's pay for each full year you worked while aged 41 or older.
You cannot be paid less than the statutory amount.
If you were made redundant on or after April 6 2025, your weekly pay is capped at £719 and the maximum statutory redundancy pay you can get is £21,570.
The government has a calculator on its website to help you work out how much you are owed.
You may get more than this statutory amount if your employer has a redundancy scheme.
