Just Desserts launches its own retail brand with cake range

After more than 30 years as a supplier to the foodservice market, Shipley-based Just Desserts has created its own retail brand.

The family-run bakers and patissiers has created a small range of traditional, handmade cakes –including victoria sponge, lemon drizzle and salted caramel cake.

James O’Dwyer, managing director of Just Desserts, said: “We bake more than 130 premium products for the foodservice sector, but recognised the opportunity to market a branded cake to high end retailers.

“We have already seen a surge in business for our foodservice products across garden centre cafes, so it wasn’t too big a leap for the business to use tried and tested recipes to develop a cake range that would appeal to premium retailers.

“Customers are enjoying our products in cafes, so we wanted to make our cakes available for them to enjoy at home. We are confident that the new range will be well received.”

All three cakes, made to tried and tested recipes, are available in new packaging designed to reflect the handcrafted qualities of the product.

Just Desserts plans to add to the initial range with new flavours such as coffee and walnut, chocolate and blueberry and vanilla. Just Desserts produces a wide range of premium desserts and pastries which are traditionally handcrafted to its own recipes.

The company was established by husband and wife team James and Carol O’Dwyer in 1985 when they made their first cake at the famous Salts Mill, Bradford.

The handmade desserts specialist has seen sales increase across its foodservice customer base in the last few years, which has led to expansion into a third unit to grow the footprint of the business by 50 per cent.

This move into developing a retail cake brand forms part of the company’s strategy to develop new channels for its products outside its core market.