Finsbury in £1m Kara factory spend

The first wave of improvements has gone towards upgrading a Lanham proofer line, which is used to make floured baps and seeded deli rolls.

A “significant part”​ of the funds has been spent on the replacement of the proofer enclosure, air conditioning system and hydraulic drive pack, Finsbury said.

These modifications would result in a more “effective and integrated functioning system”​, improving quality and consistency as well as reducing lost time, it added.

Further planned investment included improving the ventilation systems in the main bakery, and replacing one of the three spiral freezers, which would increase capacity.

‘Fantastic to see the completion’​

Robin Mountain, business unit director at Kara, said: “This investment marks the beginning of a really exciting time for us at Kara and it’s fantastic to see the completion of a replacement Lanham plant proofer.​

“Improvements to the production plant not only mean that we’ll be able to produce a higher quantity of products in a shorter space of time, but also provide an opportunity for ​Kara to grow and expand further.”​

Kara’s factory is palm oil free and all of its products are accredited by The Vegetarian Society and The Vegan Society.

Last month, Finsbury reported a modest increase in like-for-like sales in what was a “difficult​ trading environment”​​​.