Royal visit marks 100 new jobs for confectionery firm

By Matt Atherton

- Last updated on GMT

Princess Anne visited Wrights Food Group to mark the opening of its new £6M factory
Princess Anne visited Wrights Food Group to mark the opening of its new £6M factory
Wrights Food Group’s new £6M confectionery factory in Crewe – which created around 100 new jobs – was opened by Princess Anne last week.

The new 3,716m2​ facility has a capacity of 900,000 doughnuts and 26M cookies a week. Princess Anne was asked to unveil the new factory last week to mark the manufacturer’s 90th​ anniversary.

Wrights Food Group chairman and ceo Peter Wright said: “The official opening by your Royal Highness of this state-of-the-art £6M confectionery manufacturing facility marks the latest chapter in the Wrights’s story.

“Of course, none of this would be possible without the hard work and dedication of our 480 members of staff, who are at the core of everything we do as a family-owned business.”

‘Hard work and dedication’

Princess Anne was introduced to past and present workers from the Wright family, including retired director Perter J Wright – whose father was the founder of the company. She also met long-serving employees and ambassadors.

The royal guest was given a tour of the new facility, and observed cakes being hand-decorated, biscuits being made, the company’s spiral freezers and its ultrasonic robotic cutting equipment.

A commemorative plaque was later unveiled to mark Princess Anne’s visit. Wright then presented her with a Wedgwood cake stand, knife and a slice of cake.

Wright said: “By a very happy coincidence, my grandfather John James Wright founded our business in the same year that Her Majesty The Queen was born.

‘Even more special’

“It therefore feels even more special and appropriate to mark our 90th​ anniversary with this visit by a member of the royal family.”

The company has invested more than £30M in its manufacturing and distribution centres in Crewe, over the past 15 years, it claimed. It now employs almost 500 people across its manufacturing, sales and distribution divisions.

Wrights Food Group manufactures a range of sweet and savoury products, including cakes, pastries, sandwiches and ready meals.

Meanwhile, the company announced it had hired a new business development manager last month. Toby Patrick was hired following spells at Aryzta Food Solutions and Brakes.

Wrights Food Group’s new facility – at a glance

  • £6M confectionery manufacturing facility in Crewe
  • 3,716m2
  • 100 people employed

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