Shropshire factory taking a bite out of the festive pie market

And it's thanks in no small part to a Shropshire company that pastry is on the menu over the Yuletide.

Pork Farms Palethorpes, in Market Drayton, has produced a staggering 65 million sausage rolls in the run-up to Christmas.

The company makes products for some of the UK's biggest supermarket retailers, and the run-up to Christmas is one its busiest time of the year.

Almost 23,000 various sized pies an hour roll off the production lines destined for festive buffet tables across the country as the build-up to Christmas gathers pace.

"It's a huge operation and I don't think many people in Shropshire realise what goes on behind the factory gates," said shift manager Shaun Blase.

"I'm sure a lot of people have eaten a sausage roll or a mini pie from their local supermarket and not realised that it was made in Shropshire.

"We're really passionate about what we do and I must admit you do find yourself checking out the other pies and pastries in the supermarket to see what the competitors are making."

Pork Farms Palethorpes is one of Shropshire's biggest employers, with 550 permanent members of staff and another 200 seasonal positions at this time of year.

The company has been on the same site in Market Drayton for more than 45 years, and has become a key part of the community with generations of families working at the factory.

Kerry Pye, HR manager, says the long serving workforce is a source of great pride for the business.

"The vast majority of our staff have been with us for at least 10 years, and we have a good proportion who have been here for 20, 30 and even 40 years," she said. "The longest-serving member of staff has been here for over 44 years."

"So we have a fantastic group of people working here who are passionate about the business and have a real community spirit."

The success of Pork Farms is leading to success for other Shropshire firms too, with a number of partnerships being introduced with businesses in the area.

One such arrangement is the deal struck with Joule's Brewery in Market Drayton to provide beer for the steak and ale pies produced at the Palethorpes factory.

Charities also get a boost from the partnership, with Joule's and Pork Farms teaming up to provide beer and pies for the "pie and a pint" stall at Market Drayton's Christmas lights switch-on each year – with proceeds going to the children's leukaemia ward at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

The company is currently investing in its factory at Market Drayton, including by installing energy-efficiency measures, with waste products sent off site to an anaerobic digester which reduces the amount of waste that goes to landfill.

Fridges are now fitted with motion-detecting sensors which switch the lights off when they are not needed, and sausage rolls are frozen using liquid nitrogen which takes them from unbaked to frozen in seven minutes flat.

"Everything is very high-tech now," Mr Blase added. "As well as the energy-efficiency measures, all of the product specifications are computerised so the tiniest detail can be changed with the click of a button.

"People might be surprised at how precise everything is, but all raw materials are meticulously checked before they are used - even to the extent of putting pieces of diced meat on a sheet marked with squares to check they are the right size."

While busily working to make thousands of sausage rolls, pies and other savoury pastry products each day, the staff are provided with a canteen and vending service to help recharge their batteries – but pies and sausage rolls aren't on the menu.

"It's a nice and varied menu," Mr Blase said. "But we don't have pies or sausage rolls – I think most of the staff see enough of those doing the day job."