Food and Drink Industry 15 – 21 June: Ft The Food Works, McVitie’s, Boparan Private Office and Brace’s Bakery
- The Food Works has introduced a commercial scale canning line for start ups, SMEs and established drinks brands.
- McVitie’s is moving its Penguin brand into savoury snacking for the first time with the launch of Penguin Bites.
- Boparan Private Office has acquired Brace’s Bakery, preserving approximately 250 jobs at its Newport factory.
Three significant developments are highlighting the different forces currently shaping Britain’s food and drink industry, from accessible production facilities and brand extensions to business rescue and manufacturing investment.
The Food Works has launched a new canning line to help beverage producers test and scale their products. McVitie’s, meanwhile, is taking one of Britain’s most recognisable biscuit characters into the savoury snacking category.
Elsewhere, Boparan Private Office has stepped in to acquire Brace’s Bakery, securing the immediate future of the historic Welsh business and protecting hundreds of jobs.
Although each development involves a different part of the market, they are connected by a shared focus on innovation, production capability and long term commercial resilience.
The Food Works Opens Commercial Scale Canning Line
Food and drink innovation centre The Food Works has launched a new canning line at its base in Weston-super-Mare, responding to increased demand from producers seeking accessible ways to trial and scale canned products.
The facility gives UK start ups, small and medium sized businesses and established brands access to commercial scale equipment without requiring them to make the substantial upfront investment normally associated with purchasing and installing a complete canning system.
Suitable for both 250ml and 330ml can formats, the equipment has been designed to accommodate a range of production requirements. These include limited edition drinks, small batch runs, early commercial launches and products that may eventually move into much larger volumes.
This flexibility is especially important for younger beverage companies. Purchasing machinery before a product has established sufficient demand can place considerable financial pressure on a new business.
Smaller runs completed through a shared production facility allow brands to test their concepts, gather customer feedback and secure initial retail opportunities before committing to more extensive manufacturing infrastructure.
The director of The Food Works said the canning line would allow producers to innovate and bring canned products to market more quickly, affordably and flexibly than was previously possible.
The centre has already received a high level of interest from businesses, demonstrating growing demand for production facilities that allow companies to test, launch and scale their drinks with greater confidence.
An End to End Beverage Development Service
The launch also strengthens The Food Works’ ability to offer a complete development and production service under one roof.
Beverage businesses can begin by developing and refining their products within the centre’s specialist drinks kitchen. Once a recipe is ready for production, the business can move directly into the canning process without having to locate and coordinate with a separate external manufacturer.
This creates a more streamlined route from concept to commercial launch. It may also reduce transport requirements, production delays and communication difficulties between product developers and packaging providers.
Imber Drinks, a premium non alcoholic beverage company currently preparing for its market launch, is among the first businesses to use the new line. The company plans to complete its first commercial production run later this year.
Imber’s cofounder praised the industry experience, technical knowledge and practical support provided by The Food Works. The company said this support was helping to lower the barriers faced by start up brands across the South West and further afield.
For emerging brands, access to equipment is only one part of the challenge. Technical guidance, food safety knowledge, recipe development and an understanding of production processes can be equally important.
The Food Works is therefore positioning its canning operation as part of a wider support environment rather than simply an equipment rental service.
A Wider Platform for Food and Drink Businesses
The Food Works was created by North Somerset Council and is operated by the Future Food Partnership CIC, a not for private profit Community Interest Company.
Its wider facilities include five development kitchens containing specialist equipment, 12 food grade business units and a fully equipped photography studio. Businesses can also access a business lounge and coffee shop, meeting rooms, conference facilities and in house technical expertise.
The business lounge and coffee shop are open to companies beyond those directly using the development kitchens, helping the centre operate as a wider meeting and collaboration space for the regional food and drink sector.
Since opening in 2020, The Food Works has supported more than 250 businesses. Its work has helped companies develop new products, diversify their operations and expand their food, drink and menu offerings.
The addition of the canning line represents another step in the centre’s development as a practical bridge between early stage product ideas and commercially viable food and beverage operations.
McVitie’s Penguin Enters the Savoury Snack Market
While The Food Works is supporting emerging beverage producers, McVitie’s is using the strength of an established household name to enter a new snacking category.
The biscuit manufacturer is expanding its savoury portfolio through the introduction of Penguin Bites, the first savoury product to be released under the McVitie’s Penguin brand.
Penguin is best known for its chocolate covered sandwich biscuits, which are currently available in milk chocolate, orange, mint and caramel varieties. The new launch will take the character and brand identity beyond its traditional sweet biscuit foundations.
Penguin Bites are small, penguin shaped baked savoury snacks. They will be available in cheese, salt and vinegar, and lightly salted flavours.
The products will be sold in 125g sharing boxes, carrying a recommended retail price of £1.25. They are scheduled to become available through major grocery retailers from 15 June.
The shape of the snacks and the recognisable Penguin branding have been developed to appeal to families, particularly parents purchasing products for children, lunchboxes and shared snacking occasions.
Pladis Plans Major Launch Campaign
McVitie’s parent company, pladis, will support Penguin Bites with a coordinated media campaign.
The launch activity will include social media promotion, public relations work and in store activations.
Further targeted support is planned during the Back to School period, when family snacking products and lunchbox options typically receive heightened attention from retailers and consumers.
The campaign will centre on the strapline, “McVitie’s Penguin has gone crackers!”
The humorous message reflects the playful character traditionally associated with Penguin while signalling its move into the savoury biscuit and cracker market.
According to the chief marketing officer of pladis UK and Ireland, Penguin has some of the most recognisable distinctive brand assets in the country and enjoys awareness of 92%.
The company’s ambition is to develop Penguin into more than a static character appearing on chocolate biscuit bars. Pladis wants the brand’s familiar wit and personality to move into a wider variety of products, beginning with this new savoury range.
The business described Penguin Bites as the first chapter in its larger plans for the brand.
Responding to Family Snacking Trends
The launch has been shaped by continued growth in family savoury snacking and increased demand for products suitable for sharing occasions.
Pladis is also positioning Penguin Bites as a permissible, non HFSS= option. This means the product is not classified as being high in fat, salt or sugar under the relevant nutrient profiling criteria.
The non HFSS positioning may provide important commercial advantages as manufacturers and retailers adapt to restrictions affecting the promotion and placement of less healthy food and drink products.
Rather than creating an entirely new brand for the savoury category, pladis is using the established recognition, personality and family appeal of Penguin. This may allow the product to achieve visibility more quickly than an unfamiliar snack launch.
Consumer testing provided further encouragement for the expansion. According to pladis, 80% of parents and children involved in testing found the idea appealing or very appealing. A further 71% believed that the savoury product was a good fit for the Penguin brand.
These results suggest consumers are willing to accept Penguin beyond its traditional chocolate biscuit format, provided the new products retain the humour, accessibility and family focused identity associated with the name.
Boparan Private Office Acquires Brace’s Bakery
In Wales, a major acquisition has secured the future of one of the country’s most recognisable bakery brands.
Boparan Private Office, the private investment arm of 2 Sisters Food Group owner Ranjit Singh Boparan, has acquired Newport based Brace’s Bakery.
The agreement was completed late on Friday 5 June after Brace’s had faced the threat of administration and possible closure.
The bakery had been dealing with intense financial and operational difficulties during recent months. An industry wide downturn contributed to the closure of its Blackwood factory, while staff reportedly received only half of their wages at the end of May.
The acquisition provides immediate reassurance to the company’s workforce. Approximately 250 jobs at Brace’s Newport factory are now expected to be preserved.
For employees, suppliers and the surrounding community, the agreement brings a degree of stability following a period of considerable uncertainty.
Investment, Innovation and Modernisation Planned
Boparan described Brace’s as an iconic brand with a rich heritage and said Boparan Private Office was pleased to have reached an agreement that would preserve the business.
The investment group intends to help take Brace’s into a new era through investment, innovation and modernisation.
Boparan emphasised that Brace’s Bakery has been at the centre of its communities for generations. The immediate focus will be on providing the financial backing and operational stability required for the company to move forward and establish a more sustainable future.
The investor has also committed to maintaining the identity and product quality trusted by Brace’s customers.
Potential areas for future investment include product development, manufacturing, customer service and routes to market. These improvements are intended to help the bakery remain relevant and competitive while retaining the values and characteristics that have underpinned its long standing reputation.
The ambition is not simply to prevent closure. Boparan Private Office wants to establish the foundations for renewed growth and create what it describes as a Welsh business success story for future generations.
Almost 125 Years of Baking Heritage
Established in 1902, Brace’s Bakery is a fourth generation family business with a history stretching back almost 125 years.
The company supplies bread and bakery products to major supermarkets and retailers across the United Kingdom. Its longstanding presence in Welsh communities has made the brand particularly recognisable within its home market.
The managing director of Brace’s Bakery welcomed the acquisition and described it as an important step for the company.
Both the managing director and their brother, who is also a director of the business, said they were pleased that Boparan Private Office had provided Brace’s with an opportunity to build upon its baking heritage.
They added that the investor understood the significance of the Brace’s name, its workforce and the communities served by the company.
The support provides a clearer route forward and allows the management team to concentrate on strengthening operations while continuing to produce the quality products expected by customers.
Boparan Continues Investment in British Bakery Businesses
The Brace’s transaction follows Boparan Private Office’s takeover of Cheshire based Robert’s Bakery, which was also rescued from administration in October last year.
The two acquisitions demonstrate a willingness to invest in established bakery businesses facing financial difficulties but retaining valuable brands, production expertise and customer relationships.
Boparan Private Office operates across a broad portfolio of sectors, including agriculture, property, food manufacturing and hospitality.
The organisation currently employs more than 25,000 people and has a turnover exceeding £4 billion. This scale may provide Brace’s with access to investment, supply chain experience and wider commercial capabilities that would have been difficult for the bakery to secure independently during its recent financial difficulties.
The Impact on Food Manufacturing and Production
Together, these developments illustrate three important routes through which the UK food manufacturing industry is evolving.
The Food Works’ canning line demonstrates how shared production infrastructure can reduce the cost and risk involved in developing new food and drink products.
By enabling smaller brands to conduct commercial runs without purchasing their own equipment, facilities of this kind can help a wider variety of products progress from development kitchens to retail shelves.
McVitie’s launch shows how established manufacturers are using recognisable brand assets to enter growing market segments. Penguin Bites allows pladis to expand into family savoury snacking while responding to consumer interest in sharing formats and products that fall outside HFSS classifications.
The acquisition of Brace’s Bakery, meanwhile, highlights the financial pressure affecting parts of Britain’s food production sector. Rising operating costs, difficult trading conditions and changing consumer behaviour can place even historic brands under severe strain.
However, strategic investment can preserve jobs, retain manufacturing knowledge and give established companies the resources required to modernise.
For the wider supply chain, these developments could influence equipment demand, ingredient sourcing, packaging volumes, retail competition and employment. They also reinforce the importance of production flexibility.
Whether a company is launching its first canned drink, extending a household brand or attempting to revive a 124 year old bakery, the ability to adapt manufacturing operations has become central to commercial survival and growth.
Conclusion
The latest developments involving The Food Works, McVitie’s and Boparan Private Office reveal a food industry balancing experimentation with the need for greater operational resilience.
The Food Works is opening the door for emerging drinks companies by making commercial canning more accessible. McVitie’s is using the popularity and personality of Penguin to pursue new opportunities in savoury family snacking. Boparan Private Office is providing Brace’s Bakery with the stability and investment needed to protect jobs and begin rebuilding for the future.
Each story starts from a different position, but all three point towards the same conclusion. Successful food businesses must be prepared to innovate, invest and adjust their production models as market conditions change.
From small batch cans and penguin shaped crackers to the rescue of a historic Welsh bakery, the industry’s next chapter is being shaped both by new ideas and by determined efforts to protect the brands, skills and manufacturing operations that already matter to British consumers.
News Credits:
Somerset F&B innovation hub unveils new canning line
McVitie’s enters savoury market with new Penguin snack
2 Sisters owner saves Brace’s Bakery from administration
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