Boparan Private Office (BPO) has confirmed an investment that it said would “secure the future” of bread producer Frank Roberts & Sons Limited, following the company’s Notice of Intention to Appoint Administrators (NOI).
The investment resulted in the creation of a new company, Roberts Bakery 1887 Ltd, which BPO said would “ensure the preservation of 433 jobs and the continuation of a 138-year family baking heritage”.
The move aims to safeguard four generations of family baking, with BPO stating that it would “protect the brand” for future generations.
Roberts Bakery 1887 Ltd will form part of the Boparan Private Office portfolio of companies, benefitting from the backing and expertise of a “strong and diverse enterprise” with established interests in the bakery sector. The partnership will reportedly look to support the existing management team and “bring new talent” into the business.
A spokesperson for Boparan Private Office said: “We are proud to play a part in preserving this iconic bakery, its people, and its heritage. Frank Roberts & Sons has been at the heart of the community for over a century, and we are committed to supporting its long-term success as Roberts Bakery 1887 Ltd.”
The Roberts Family stated: “The Roberts family are profoundly relieved that the business has been saved by a consortium of the management team backed by BPO and that there will be a recovery plan to ensure it can prosper and thrive and that so many jobs will be saved. We are of course sad it will no longer be us who are there to share in this new opportunity.
“It has been our utter privilege to have known so many of the people who have worked with us, and we wish you all our very best wishes for the future.”
