Jobs hope as Caithness bakery set to expand
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A CAITHNESS bakery is aiming to expand its workforce to cope with the demands of meeting several new contracts.
Reids of Caithness has announced it will create at least six jobs as it continues to sign new deals.
The news comes as the company celebrated major success by taking two prizes at the Highlands and Islands Food and Drink Awards in Inverness on Friday.
The company, which employs 36 staff at its premises in Riverside Place, Thurso, recently secured a deal to provide luxury biscuits to celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s JME brand.
Managing director Gary Reid said with the increase in orders he is hoping to hire new staff within the next few weeks.
“It has been all hands to the pumps for our dedicated staff. We are at the stage where we are at such a high production rate that we are working tirelessly to meet the demands of the contracts,” he told the Courier.
“People are crying out for our products which has forced us to back off on advertising because things are going so well.
“We particularly need more staff to work in our despatch department to make sure these products are delivered on time.
“We sent out our first delivery for the JME brand on Monday and will send a second delivery out on Wednesday.”
The firm won two awards in Inverness – including the Distance No Object accolade which was given for the company’s exporting success.
Over the past year the company has signed a number of contracts to export its goods internationally to China, the US and the United Arab Emirates.
It also received the top prize in the new award section with its range of shortbread and oat biscuits which includes treacle and toffee biscuits, banoffee oaties and stem ginger oaties.
“We wanted to enter a product which wasn’t so glossy and supermarket ready,” said Mr Reid.
“We were looking to create something which was rustic and I think that is the reason behind our success.
“We were not going to enter the competition as we had won two years ago and thought it was a bit soon to re-enter. But I was convinced to enter the company again and to win both the awards we were nominated for is a fantastic achievement.”
Last year Reids of Caithness was named Scottish champion at the Great Taste Awards and came fourth overall in Britain for its range of shortbread.
The company has applied to build new premises in Ormlie and is hoping to proceed with the plans by the end of the year.
Mr Reid said the company is looking to expand its business operations in the future and grow its workforce. “The success in the past year has been down to the talented team we have. We have also taken on a number of school leavers who have been a real asset to our company. In the future we hope to offer more apprenticeships to young people and give them the opportunity of a good career with us.”
