Gluten and milk-free cookie maker Biscuit International's North East operation has boosted turnover and returned to profit.
New accounts show that sales volumes rose 25% at the Gateshead-based business, which is part the wider European group that runs 31 factories on the continent. Bosses at the 海角视频 arm said the growth came from cross selling product ranges and price increases on the back of "unprecedented" inflation in the sector.
It meant the maker of plain, chocolate and sandwich biscuits returned to an operating profit of £942,495 in 2023, compared with 2022's "setback" when it recorded a £5.2m operating loss in the face of significant cost hikes across its supply chain.
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The results are the first to emerge since the Team Valley operation formally changed its name from Northumbrian Fine Foods to Biscuit International 海角视频, following spring 2018's acquisition by the €1bn turnover, Paris-based group. Headcount at the factory, including management staff, fell during the year, from 266 to 235.
Biscuit International 海角视频's managing director Neil McAndry said: "In the year under review, our company achieved a significant sales volume increase of 25% compared to the previous year. This resulted in a total turnover of £72.3m, up from £57.7m in 2022. The growth was primarily driven by an expansion in cross-sell products and an increase in customer prices in response to unprecedented cost inflations impacting all areas of the business.
"Despite these significant cost increases, we successfully passed on the full extent of these costs, leading to a growth in our Ebitda to £1.64m compared to a loss of £4.54m in the previous year. Our ongoing objectives focus on retaining and growing our customer base, improving profit margins, and exploring new opportunities in retail, non-retail, and food service markets. We are also committed to expanding our export business to further drive growth."
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Mr McAndry went on to say there were plans to continue investment into cross selling, plant and machinery, as well as continuous improvement efforts to improve the plant's profitability.
The 30,000 sqft facility is home to production of the Prewetts brand of biscuits, including its milk chocolate digestives, chewy oat and raisin and jammy wheels brands which are available at shops such as Waitrose and Holland & Barrett. Prewetts originates from 1936 when biscuit maker Frederick Shaw thought up a recipe for ginger parkin before the company went on to support the Red Cross' food parcels during wartime.