Following its launch in 1932, BFP dominated the bakery industry but went into receivership in 2016 – and was ultimately rescued by Kent Foods.
Since then, the company has been quietly rebuilding and restructuring, a process that was accelerated following the appointment of Managing Director Steve Lyons in July 2021.
He said: “We needed to take some time away from the spotlight to overhaul the business and get it back in a shape that we, and customers, could have complete confidence in.
“Since taking over the company, we’ve invested heavily in people, fleet, technology and infrastructure, and have consciously kept a low profile until we got the business back to the solid position it’s in now.”
The company said it has invested significantly in property in the past two years and now boasts close-to-nationwide coverage via three new depots in Edinburgh, Daventry and Bristol - in addition to existing sites in Lewes and Leeds.
This equates to 230,000 sq ft of chilled and ambient storage space, and means high stock levels of every product can be held at every depot, a company spokesperson said.
BFP has also reverted to its original focus of predominantly serving bakers.
“We’ve re-set and our purpose is to help bakery flourish. We love bakers,” said Lyons. "Bakers are an integral part of our communities and our nation, and we’re here to provide them with all the materials and inspiration they need to practice their craft, including a wide range of over 650, always-in-stock products, coupled with outstanding value and supreme customer service.”
The company’s new branding went live on Valentine’s Day and Lyons said BFP’s new strategy has seen customers flood back - with sales are up 22% and customer numbers up 36% (Y-O-Y 2020 v 2021).