A £6 MILLLION confectionery factory is now fully operational in Crewe.

The Crewe-based Wrights Food Group manufacturing facility in Weston Road operates 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week, and currently employs around 80 staff.

The 40,000 sq ft factory will produce up to 900,000 doughnuts a week and staggering a 22 million cookies a year.

Peter Wright, chairman and chief executive of Wrights, said: “We are already seeing the benefits of our investment in the confectionery plant with improved efficiencies, less waste, better consistency and the flexibility to produce a much wider range of quality products for our growing customer base.

“The factory will bring numerous advantages as the business develops, giving us the flexibility to diversify in the future and work with customers to manufacture innovative products to their bespoke requirements and specification.”

The new, purpose-built factory features fully automated, state of the art manufacturing equipment including new VMI mixers, depositor lines, proofers, automated inline fryers, ultrasonic robotic cutting equipment, and rack ovens.

A new dry store for ingredients and expansive freezer facilities has also been installed.

Wrights customers include numerous quick service restaurants, coffee shops and independent bakery shops supplied with frozen, part-baked and finished products through a network of national wholesale distributors such as Bako UK.

The company’s retail customers include a major convenience store chain, who have worked with Wrights food development team to produce a range of own brand desserts.

Wrights also supply frozen cookies, ring doughnuts and brownies for a leading pizza delivery company.