A major investment deal has secured more than 400 jobs at a long-standing Cheshire bakery after weeks of uncertainty. Roberts Bakery, established in 1887 in Northwich, faced administration earlier this month before being acquired by a new company formed by entrepreneur Ranjit Singh Boparan’s private investment firm, Boparan Private Office.
The business will continue under the name Roberts Bakery 1887 Ltd, retaining its management team and introducing new leadership to stabilise operations and restore growth. The Roberts family, who had led the company for four generations, will step away following the transition.
The bakery had struggled since a fire at its Northwich site in June 2023, which severely reduced production and market share. The company had already reduced its workforce from 750 to around 459 employees, with further redundancies planned earlier this year. Sites in Ilkeston and Winsford were not affected.
Despite the operational setbacks, the firm reported a return to profit in its latest financial year ending August 2024, with £20.2 million in profit compared to a £7 million loss the previous year, driven by insurance recoveries. Turnover fell 21% to £76.1 million. The new investment is expected to provide stability and ensure continued operations across the company’s sites.