Memory Lane Cakes
Company
Memory Lane is one of the UK's premier suppliers of pre-packed cakes to the multiple retailers, utilising retailer brands and it's own portfolio of licensed arrangements.
Production is focused on a 8 acre freehold site in Cardiff, employing some 1,000 people. From there, the business delivers all over the UK and Ireland 363 days per annum ... a demanding but fun challenge.
Sales are well over £50m per annum, which equates to around 20,000 tonnes of cake every year! The business has the capacity to grow by at least £10m. By carefully developing the brands of our major supermarket customers alongside our Nestle confectionery brands, we believe this is an achievable, though challenging aim.
History
The business has been going in South Wales for almost 50 years, although it has had a number of owners in the last 15. As with most modern bakery businesses, it's roots were in retail shops but as the sector declined, a move into multiple retail supply was logical.
Owned by Spillers Dalgety until 1991, the business was subject to a MBI from Grand Metropolitan (now part of Diageo) in 1997. At that time, it had two sites (Cardiff and Warrington), but was making significant losses.
Over 5 years, the new management team transformed the business by:
- rationalising onto the Cardiff site
- focusing on added value premium ranges
- investing in improving working environment and better hygiene standards
- being great at new product development and offering world class service
- caring!
By 2002, annual losses of £2M had been converted into annual profits of £2M... then along came Finsbury!
Product Range
- Scrummy party cakes for all occasions
- Wonderfully indulgent premium cakes
- The most chocolately of chocolate covered cakes
- Fun-tastic range of great cakes for the kids treats
