An artisan brownie bakery in North Wales is looking to grow after an investment by Tata Steel subsidiary UKSE.
Grazed Bakery in Wrexham, run by husband and wife Mark and Renee Thompson, aims to create five jobs following the £50,000 investment by business-backers UKSE.
The couple have turned what started as a small-scale baking operation into an expanding commercial business, retaining its family-run values and artisan approach and always with an eye on sustainability.
Having set up the business as Covid hit the UK, they battled through relying on the quality of their products and personal service, posting small orders to retail customers. “We were delighted by the response we had, and even a bit taken aback by our success,” said Renee.
Before setting up Grazed with Mark, Renee had co-owned a successful outdoor catering company specialising in afternoon teas for weddings and other events – her chocolate brownies attracted much praise.
In 2022 they took the plunge moving into a 3,000 sq ft business unit on the Vauxhall Industrial Estate, expanding their innovative range of chocolate brownies and supplying the wholesale market to customers such as The Modern Milkman and Yumbles and selling online across the UK.
Mark explained that the UKSE funding would now enable them to take the next step, ramping up production with new equipment, new product lines and doubling the workforce by employing five extra staff. “We are very grateful to UKSE for this timely support. The funds will be used to buy new cutting equipment, allow us to look into new product development and take on five more staff.”
Above all he said, the quality of Grazed Bakery’s brownies had created the recipe for success. “Our team of trained bakers uses only the best ingredients, and we are proud that we have retained our family-business and artisan values in all that we do.”
The firm puts environmental issues first and foremost. “Our mission statement is ‘baking our way to a more sustainable future’, and this message runs through everything we do. We are proud to be a part of the campaign for renewable, recyclable and sustainable packaging.”
UKSE works with Welsh businesses with potential to create sustainable employment and prosperity, providing loans and equity packages up to £1 million. In the past 50 years, UKSE has supported some 83,000 jobs in former steel areas around the UK.
Howard Thompson UKSE Regional Executive, said he was delighted to have provided this support as a springboard for growth. “Mark and Renee are totally dedicated to building the business, and have an uncompromising approach to the quality of their products.
“In particular it is good to see they plan to take on more staff and have a clear business plan to take the business forward. We wish them every success for the future.”
