Cornish Bakery Looks To Expand Despite “pasty Tax”

April 2, 2012 - PRLog -- TO: News Desk
FROM: Prima Bakeries
DATE: 22nd April 2012


CORNISH BAKERY LOOKS TO EXPAND DESPITE “PASTY TAX”

A Cornish bakery has undergone a makeover which has resulted in a huge increase in sales and growth to the team.

Prima Bakeries, based adjacent to the A30 at Wheal Rose in Scorrier at the heart of Cornwall, has refurbished its on-site retail shop with new counters, displays and extra refrigeration to sell pasties, Cornish milk, butter and pastry.

Since its opening two weeks ago, sales in the shop have already doubled and an extra member of staff has been recruited to manage the counters, plus two new bakers to meet demand.

Mark Norton, Managing Director of Prima Bakeries said, “Our long established family business has been trading at Scorrier, opposite Rodda’s, since 1978.  We now employ 24 staff, which has increased from 15 in 2010.

“There has been a small retail shop at our site for over 20 years and as a result of the increased interest in our Cornish pasties, we felt it was time for a makeover. Although we supply about 150 different bread, savoury, cake and confectionery lines to a wide range of customers in Cornwall, not many people know our shop is here and that they can pop in for a range of items.”

The improvements at the shop are part of wider expansion plans for Prima Bakeries, who have massively increased their products suitable for cafes and restaurants. Three more vans have been put on the roads in the past 12 months, taking them to six, to cope with increased demand from existing and new customers from Plymouth to Lands End.

The business will launch 20 new products this year including a range of four exciting cupcakes.  “Baked with love from the heart of Cornwall” Prima’s product range currently includes several Cornish speciality products including saffron cakes and buns, Prima’s famous Hevva cakes and buns as well as yeast buns and cakes.

Use of traditional and long established family recipes feature in their Cornish boiled fruit cake and ginger fruit cake as well as favourites such as congress tart, bakewell tart and Cornish tea scones.  Prima is also well known for its pastry with its puff and shortcrust varieties being used across many Cornish kitchens.

Mark continued, “The bakery industry has had a difficult time in recent years, to be made worse by the Chancellors’ “Pasty Tax”, but despite all that, Prima is 40% up on this time last year. I put this down to making good quality products that people know come from a local family firm. The Cornish are probably the best in the world at “looking after their own” and we look after them by baking a good pasty.”

“Over the last 12 months the business has become increasingly known for its range of traditional Cornish pasties. These are made using only Cornish skirt (“British Beef” is just not good enough – it has to be Cornish) and locally sourced seasonal vegetables. This, combined with our own secret pastry recipe developed over the last thirty years, ensures that Prima’s pasties are baked with love and ready to battle the pasty tax!”

ENDS ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CONTACTS: Helen Mulhern on 01326 376273 / helen@eventy.co.uk
Mark Norton on Tel: 01209 822077.

PHOTO: Please find attached a low res image of (from left to right) Mark Norton with Ross Buist and their infamous pasties and new cupcakes.  Higher res and alternative images available on request.

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