Warburtons toastie

Warburtons pre-tax profits hit £26.5m in 2012

Warburtons profits have recovered from a tough 2011 as sales broke through the £500m mark last year.

The family-owned bakery reported a 62% increase in profit before tax to £26.5m for the year ending 29 September, according to accounts published on Companies House.

The jump in profits follows a slide of over a third in group profits the previous year.

A strong increase in turnover helped to boost the baker’s profitability. Sales leapt 5.7% to £523.7m despite the continued weakness of the market for sliced bread.

“Our family business continues to strengthen, this year becoming the number-one bakery brand in London,” said Warburtons chairman Jonathan Warburton.

“We remain committed to growth and diversification and continue to invest in our people, our innovation, our infrastructure and in new growth areas such as our snacks and free-from businesses, which we anticipate will contribute positively in the future.”

In January, the company relaunched its gluten-free range under the sub-brand ‘Newburn Bakehouse’. It also launched a major marketing push in the same month.