A bakery on the Isle of Lewis has been given over £116,000 by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) to expand capacity to meet international demand.
Stag Bakeries in Stornoway, which makes biscuits made from seaweed among other products, is using the funds as part of a £500,000 investment in machinery and people.
Around 12 months ago, the award-winning bakery started to export its products outside of the UK, and now sells products to eleven countries including Ireland, Canada, Belgium, Norway and Portugal. A strategy has been put in place to also target emerging markets and business has already been achieved in both China and Russia.
The bakery, which began in 1968, expects to expand its current 41-strong workforce by an additional 30% over the next three years.
Charles Macdonald, owner of Stag Bakeries, said: “We have a clear business strategy for growth and plan to continue to capitalise on new market opportunities and build a brand associated with product excellence. We aim to create a range of new jobs as the company expands and represent our island community on an international platform.
“We are delighted to be receiving financial support from HIE. Their invaluable assistance will help to grow our business and we look forward to the next few years as we continue to grow. A key component in this growth will be innovation in new products which is critical in markets that crave new ideas. We have an ongoing programme of product development which is important to growing a brand and keeping consumers interested.”
HIE Area Manager, Rachel Mackenzie, said: “We have supported Stag Bakeries over the years to develop their international trade activity and provided assistance through various HIE programmes such as graduate placements, summer placements and specialist advice.
“Stag Bakeries has recognised the export opportunities open to them and has acted on this to grow and expand the business. Stag Bakeries is an excellent example of an ambitious local business successfully accessing a wide range of knowledge in markets around the world. We wish them all the best and look forward to supporting them as their business expands.”