Food for thought as Just Desserts teams up

Shipley-based Just Desserts, bakers and pâtissiers to the hospitality and foodservice industry, has forged its first wholesale partnership with Lancashire-based speciality food distributor, FDP Fine Foods.

The collaboration is part of Just Desserts’ growth strategy to increase its distribution beyond Yorkshire.

Family-run FDP Fine Foods will introduce a selection of handmade cakes from Just Desserts into the North West, including its chocolate fudge cake, across sectors covering local authorities, universities and colleges, cafes and delis, and garden centres.

James O’Dwyer, managing director of Just Desserts, said: “We selected FDP Fine Foods because we see many similarities between our two companies. We are both independent, family-run businesses with a quality track record. We looked to partner with a wholesaler that is as passionate about our desserts as we are and who works with high end, discerning customers.

“We run our own fleet of temperature controlled vehicles, which is growing, but currently services only the Yorkshire region, so this partnership will support our expansion plans.”

Paul Ackroyd, managing director of FDP Fine Foods, said: “We are delighted to be working with Just Desserts, which has a 26-year track record and an enviable reputation for producing the highest quality desserts. This collaboration brings our customers greater product choice and provides them with beautiful handmade cakes that they can be proud to call their own. We have strict ethics in the way we think about products and everything we stock, we are passionate about.”

Just Desserts was established by Mr O’Dwyer and his wife, Carol, in 1985 when they made their first handmade cake at the Salts Mill, Saltaire, Bradford. The company now has 17 staff and moved to larger premises in Shipley in 1989, before investing £50,000 to double the size of its base in 2007.