Despite 2021 being coined as Cornwall’s busiest year, Cornish Premier Pasties saw sales grow by 21% year on year in 2022, with the same growth indicator being up by 55% since August 2020. With 10 consecutive record months for sales, Cornish Premier Pasties’ turnover is predicted to reach over £7m in 2022.
The company was acquired by Mark Norton in 2020 and combined with its sister business, Prima Bakeries Ltd, the group is the fourth largest manufacturer of Cornish Pasties in the world. Employing over 50 people, the company has recently focused on expanding outside of Cornwall, welcoming new distributors throughout the UK.
Commenting on the growth, Mark Norton, Managing Director of Cornish Premier Pasties said: “2022 has been a year of ups and downs for many, with a multitude of challenges thrown at business owners such as the Covid legacy, difficulty in staff recruitment and substantial cost increases for raw materials. Overcoming and adapting to the circumstances has become a fundamental part of our business, and seeing this work pay off in terms of sales figures, is incredibly rewarding.
Looking ahead, we’re hoping to grow by a further 15% to achieve an annual turnover of £8m next year, despite economic concerns of recession. To do this, we will continue to focus on ensuring we’re producing high quality products, with competitive pricing and giving suppliers and customers the best level of service.
As a family business, the company has always recognised the importance of its staff. With the challenges in recruiting staff being felt throughout the UK, it has never been more important to ensure staff are well rewarded and valued. For example, the company does not work evening or weekend production shifts, recognising that a Monday to Friday shift pattern maximises work-life balance. By implementing strategies such as this, amongst others, and listening to our teams’ needs, we have a great workforce which speaks volumes when we’re looking at this kind of sales growth. We look forward to developing and supporting them through this exciting period, as we continue to grow.”
Cornish Premier Pasties was recently shortlisted in the Made in the South West Awards, and is a finalist in the Western Morning News Business Awards. The company produces over 40,000 savoury pastry products a day and supplies wholesalers, retailers and outlets across Cornwall and the UK.
For more on the company go to www.cornishpremierpasties.co.uk.
