An East Anglian bakery chain is expanding on two fronts as it opens up a new café in a north Norfolk beauty spot and a new bakery in Halesworth.
Two Magpies Bakery — which already has outlets in Southwold, Aldeburgh, Darsham and Norwich — is launching a café and bakery on the quay at Blakeney and is also creating a new bakery site at an industrial unit in Halesworth as it continues with its ambitious growth plans. The two sites will create 22 new jobs.
The chain — owned by husband-and-wife team Steve Magnall and Rebecca Bishop — will open the new café in the historic St Nicholas Church rooms on Bank Holiday Monday (May 31).
It will be open seven days a week and will serve Allpress coffee, sourdough bread, cakes and a range of hand laminated sweet and savoury pastries.
In response to high demand for its bread and pastries, it is also opening a new 2,000sq ft bakery unit in Halesworth. It will be home to its sourdough bread and savoury pastries production team which will supply its bakeries, cafés and wholesale customers. Cakes and patisserie will continue to be made by its dedicated pastry team at the bakery in Darsham.
“We’ve spent the last year making plans on when and how we’ll continue to expand the bakery business, and this is the next stage,” said Steve.
“Our teams work incredibly hard but with demand for our product growing it’s hard when conditions get cramped so gaining a dedicated baking space made sense for everyone. Our bakers and production chefs are really excited about the move.”
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The chain owns a fleet of four vans delivering fresh bread and cakes, pre-ordered celebration cakes and supplying its click and collect service.
“With a strong management structure in place the expansion means we have been able to appoint additional bakers, team leaders, drivers and increased administration support — all headed up by our general manager Yasmin Wyatt,” said Mr Magnall.
The opening of the Blakeney and Halesworth sites is creating 12 jobs in Halesworth and Darsham, and a further 10 at the café in Blakeney.
“We’re incredibly excited to be opening a second bakery and cafe in Norfolk, and Blakeney is an amazing spot, giving us another popular coastal location in the East Anglia region,” said Ms Wyatt.
Two Magpies Bakery in Blakeney will be open from 8am to 5pm seven days a week and will offer a full menu for dining and takeaway. The new production unit in Halesworth opened fully in mid-May.
Funding to support the projects was backed by a loan from Lloyds Bank and grant support from the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) grants scheme.
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