Boparan Private Office, the private investment vehicle of billionaire Ranjit Singh Boparan, has acquired Roberts Bakery, the trading name of Frank Roberts & Sons Limited, after the business entered administration.
The deal secures the future of the long-established bakery group and safeguards 433 jobs.
PwC partners Sarah O’Toole, Perry Higgins and Helen Wheeler-Jones were appointed joint administrators of Frank Roberts & Sons and completed the sale immediately upon appointment. A total of 86 employees were made redundant following an ongoing consultation process that began prior to administration. The joint administrators said they are working with the Redundancy Payments Service to ensure affected staff receive their statutory entitlements promptly.
Founded in 1887, Roberts Bakery has grown from a small family grocery store in Northwich, Cheshire, into one of the UK’s best-known regional bakery brands. Today, the company produces over 3.5 million loaves, rolls and teacakes each week across sites in Northwich and Ilkeston, supplying major supermarkets, coffee shops and foodservice operators across the North of England, North Wales and the Midlands.
The business had faced significant challenges in recent years, including rising input costs and a fire at its Northwich site, which disrupted operations and impacted profitability.
Sarah O’Toole, joint administrator and partner at PwC, said: “We are pleased to have completed the sale of the business and assets of Frank Roberts & Sons Limited, securing the future of the bakery and safeguarding 433 jobs. This outcome provides continuity for employees, customers and suppliers, and preserves a well-known brand with a proud heritage.”
The acquisition adds to the Boparan family’s extensive food interests. Ranjit and Baljinder Boparan are the sole shareholders of Boparan Holdings, the parent company of 2 Sisters Food Group, one of the UK’s leading food manufacturers with market positions across poultry, meals and bakery.