Its new Development Centre and Renshaw Academy in Wavertree, Liverpool will serve as the company’s international hub for food manufacturing innovation and cake decoration skills training.
Wavertree will become the regional office for RGF and will house its human resources, technical and operations teams.
Executive chairman Pieter Totte said: “We are always looking for ways to be innovative and the Real Good Food Liverpool Development Centre is a place where our experts can explore, create, teach and learn with some of the best equipment in the world.
“There is a growing global market for our products and we want customers to be inspired to bake at home with our top of the range, creative ingredients.”
‘Growing global market’
The new Renshaw Academy will be developed as part of its Development Centre and will train and develop students and industry professionals in cake decoration techniques.
The academy will “tap into the ever growing demand for cake decoration and will support the growing spectrum of consumers in that market,” said the business.
The decision to make Wavertree the hub for RGF’s global innovation projects was welcomed by the principal of Liverpool City College Elaine Bowker.
“This investment here in Liverpool by Real Good Food will not only benefit the local community, but will serve as a global hub for food technologists and scientists, bakers and other creatives working in the food industry,” said Bowker.
Totte added: “We have a long and proud association with the city of Liverpool and its people and through our Renshaw factory have been a major employer here for many years.
‘No better city’
“The Development Centre is an important initiative and investment for us and I can think of no better city in which to base this world leading facility."
RGF focused on three main markets: cake decoration, food ingredients and premium bakery products.
It owns bakery ingredients manufacturer Renshaw, which operates its main factory is in Liverpool. The site produces more than 20,000t of finished product a year and had a turnover of £46.7M last year.
Meanwhile, RGF acquired Devonshire frozen dessert manufacturer Chantilly Patisseries for £1.75M in February this year.
The Paignton-based patisserie was bought through its wholly-owned subsidiary Hayden Bakery from existing cash resources.
Real Good Food businesses
- Renshaw: bakery ingredients manufacturer
- Rainbow Dust Colours: sugar craft and cake decorations
- Garrett Ingredients: sources food ingredients to sell to manufacturers
- R&W Scott: makes chocolate coatings, sauces and jams
- Real Good Food Europe: distributes RGF products
- Haydens: bakery and dessert manufacturer