PRINCESS Anne gave a £6 million confectionery factory in Crewe the royal seal of approval.

The 40,000 sq ft, fully automated confectionery plant – which opened in 2015 – employs around 100 staff and produces millions of products a year.

The Princess was welcomed to Wrights Food Group’s Weston Road headquarters by current chairman and chief executive Peter Wright.

Peter introduced her to his father and retired director Peter J Wright, the son of Wrights founder John James Wright, who set-up the business in 1926.

The visit is a major highlight of the company’s 90th anniversary year celebrations.

Peter said: “By a very happy coincidence, my grandfather John James Wright founded our business in the same year that Her Majesty The Queen was born.

“It therefore feels even more special and appropriate to mark our 90th anniversary with this visit by a member of the royal family.”

The royal visitor met other members of the Wright family and long-serving employees, including Charlie Hampson, from logistics, who has worked there for 33 years.

Princess Anne also met Wrights ambassador and Britain’s strongest man, Eddie Hall.

In the facility’s training room, Her Royal Highness was shown a display charting Wrights’ 90-year history.

During a tour of the confectionery manufacturing lines, Princess Anne saw cakes being hand-decorated, novelty biscuit production, the latest time-saving spiral freezers, and ultrasonic robotic cutting equipment.

Following the tour, Her Royal Highness unveiled a commemorative plaque watched by special guests including John Lea, the deputy lieutenant of Cheshire, and Cllr Arthur Moran, deputy mayor of Cheshire East.

She then signed the company’s visitors’ book, before Peter presented her with a commemorative gift of a cut glass Wedgwood cake stand, a knife, and a cake slice.

Peter said: “The official opening by your Royal Highness of this state-of-the-art, £6 million confectionery manufacturing facility marks the latest chapter in the Wrights story.

“Of course, none of this would be possible without the hard work and dedication of our 480 members of staff, who are at the core of everything we do as a family owned business.”