Just desserts for Serious Food
Freshly squeezed juice, smoothies and soups manufacturer The Serious Food Company will branch out into premium desserts later this month after opening a new factory and group head office in Llantrisant Business Park, Mid-Glamorgan.
A spokeswoman said: “This has been a major investment for the business. The site is 8.000 metres squared, but only about 2,100 metres squared is being used for desserts. The rest is being used for ambient packaging and storage, but will be converted to chilled premium food production in future as the desserts business expands. About 900 metres squared of the space is currently being converted for use as the new group head office. ”
The company, which has also won a contract to make some Gü desserts, recently employed consultant patisserie chef Paul Young as part of the development team to create products under its Serious Food brand as well as retailers’ own-labels, she added.
“Health is a key trend, but there is also a growing market for indulgent desserts using premium ingredients such as fresh fruit, finest quality chocolate, unrefined sugar and free range eggs - all without artificial additives. This raises shelf-life issues, but that’s the price you pay.”
Tiramisus, trifles, creme brulles, tarts and other premium patisserie desserts packaged in glass and ceramic under the Serious Food brand, will go into 145-170 Waitrose stores in the coming weeks, she said.
Recruitment for the factory is ongoing, but a new general manager with 13 years’ experience in desserts manufacturing had been appointed, she said. “We have been able to bring in some people from our existing business, but we don’t want to suck out all of the talent, so are looking for skilled personnel from elsewhere in the industry.”
Serious Food has expanded rapidly over the last five years and now has a presence in soup, chilled juices, smoothies, crushes and desserts.
