Floss is a rising star at bakery
A high-flyer from Shropshire has landed a top job with one of the UK’s leading bakery firms.
Florence Roberts, who hails from Oswestry and now lives near Shrewsbury, has been appointed the Group New Product Development Manager at the Wrexham-based Village Bakery.
The 29-year-old, known as Floss, worked as an assistant in the development team when she first joined the family-run company.
Most recently she has been working to develop new products for the company’s gluten-free bakery, Gluten Freedom.
Her appointment comes as Village Bakery prepares to open its new super bakery this summer.
It was recently announced the company has secured an investment deal to fuel major expansion plans which will create 115 new jobs.
The new bakery, on Ash Road, has been designed and built with growth in mind and at 140,000sq feet is more than three times the size of the one it’s replacing following a devastating fire in August 2019.
As well as housing the company’s headquarters, the new premises will also be home to their pioneering Baking Academy and Innovation Centre – both twice the size of the original versions – to train a new generation of bakers and develop new products.
Floss said: “The main thing about working at the Village Bakery is that you never get bored. It’s fast-paced and every day is different.
Progressed
“I’m really thankful to the Village Bakery. I don’t think there are many other companies that I could have gone to and progressed to where I am now. I’ve been really well looked after.
“One thing I particularly like about the Village Bakery is that we can make things happen really quickly and our customers love that about us.
“The development of new and exciting products is always a priority here and that is something that sets us apart from our competitors. We’re always trying to stay one step ahead of the market.
“We are raising the bar again with the new bakery and the new development centre is fantastic. It’s twice the size of the one it’s replacing, and we are aiming to take things to a whole new level."
“It’s going to be a high-class facility where we can bring customers on site and wow them with our fantastic test bakery and our innovative new products.”
Managing director Robin Jones said: “I’ve taken great pleasure in watching Floss blossom and develop.
“She’s committed and she has built a great team around her which has enabled her to step up.
“The great thing that Floss has given us is great commercial successes which our customers love.”
