As it celebrates its 150th anniversary, Warburtons is set to invest over £100 million into its business. This includes the acquisition of the former Rathbones bakery site in Wakefield, a makeover for its gluten free site, a new distribution centre, and three new production lines.
The Wakefield site purchase follows turbulent times for the former Morrisons-owned bakery, which had already scaled down before the supermarket announced its closure earlier this year.
Warburtons, which currently holds 20% market share and produces 70+ different products across bakery, has now finalised a deal with Morrison’s manufacturing arm – Myton Food Group. This will see the bakery giant acquire the land, buildings and all the machinery; and invest in developing the currently shuttered site to produce its Warburton-branded products.
More than 40 jobs, across manufacturing, warehouse and distribution, will be created once the site is fully operational – expected September 2026.
Chairman, Jonathan Warburton commented: “We’re extremely pleased to have agreed a deal on the former Rathbones site and look forward to welcoming new colleagues to the business very soon. Our family business takes a long-term approach, investing in our infrastructure to ensure we not only meet consumer needs today, but are set up to do so for the future.”
The £100 million has also gone into the revamp of its gluten free bakery in Newburn. The site, which has been the sole producing site of the Warburtons Gluten Free range since it launched in 2011, will continue to operate while undergoing its redevelopment. It is expected to be fully operation by the autumn.
Warburtons is also putting the money towards a new distribution centre at Biggleswade, which will support its wider bakery and depot network to deliver over 2 million products to more than 18,500 stores each day.
In addition, its Bolton bakery will see a new pancake line installed, while two new crumpet lines will be added to the Burnley site – both are set to support growing demand for these two product categories.
This investment follows the purchase of the former Roberts Bakery site, in Ilkeston in 2025 which has since become fully operational.
Established in 1876 as a grocery shop in Bolton by Thomas and Ellen Warburton, today Warburtons is actively run by the fifth generation of the Warburton family – Jonathan, Brett and Ross.
The business currently employs over 5,000 people at its 12 bakeries and 18 depots across Great Britain. The acquisition of the former Rathbones site will up its bakery facility number to 13.
