A former teacher from Belfast has bought a County Tyrone bakery for an undisclosed sum.
Martin Booth has acquired the Corner Bakery in Cookstown from Tim Turkington with plans to expand its distribution to outlets across Northern Ireland.
The Corner Bakery, which employs almost 50 people, comprises an instore bakery and deli-counter and also delivers an extensive range of home-baked goods daily to over 100 stores and businesses across Northern Ireland including the Henderson Group.
As well as being a qualified teacher, Mr Booth is also a digital marketer and has already produced a new visual identity for the business.
“I am delighted to have completed the acquisition of the Corner Bakery which has been producing a fabulous array of baked goods for the local community for over 70 years,” Mr Booth said. “In this time it has been a hugely popular family business and I am privileged to have purchased it from my good friend Tim whose grandparents, David and Lily Turkington, established it in 1951.”
He said the plan to grow the business includes the use of digital channels to simplify the ordering process.
“Despite the challenging trading conditions in recent years, the Corner Bakery continues to go from strength to strength thanks to our loyal local customers and retail outlets,” he said. I am committed to ensuring the future growth of the business by making continued investment and delivering an ambitious business development strategy primarily focusing on the commercial side to extend the number of outlets we supply to across Northern Ireland.
“We will also be introducing an online ordering platform to increase our customer base and make the process even more convenient.”
