Scotch pie maker Bells Food Group has secured a major contract to supply own-label pastry to Tesco stores in a move that will create 15 jobs.
The deal will see 5.5m packs of puff pastry made by Bells across five different formats – including ready roll, block and Tesco Finest butter pastry - sold in 862 UK-wide Tesco stores.
Lanarkshire-based Bells, which bakes 16 million Scotch pies annually, started making pastry in 1955 when Donald Bell was on holiday in England and saw a packet of ready-made pastry in a grocery store. Similar products were not on sale in Scotland and so Donald introduced Bells ‘Special’ Puff Pastry for sale in grocery stores, through its retail vans and in butchers’ shops to complement stewing steak sales.
Bells today has a turnover of some £26m and employs 220 people. It controls 60% of the hot pie market in Scotland and operates two bakeries and a distribution centre in Shotts.
Ronnie Miles, managing director of Bells Food Group, said: "This is a significant achievement for the business and down to the quality of the products, the team at Bells and the trust that Tesco has invested in us to deliver this contract which will double the turnover of our Dykehead Bakery.
"This news follows a successful period for Bells on the back of increased sales and brand innovation which secured third place in Scotland’s top 50 food and drinks brands."
Philip Wilson, buying manager for Pastry at Tesco, said: "Tesco has a long history of supporting the Scottish food and drink sector and a long history of working with Bells. It’s great to see these two things come together with Bells now supplying Tesco own label across the UK. We look forward to serving our customers across the UK a fantastic pastry."
