Funding sees Haywood send scones around the world

Barnsley-based scones manufacturer, Haywood & Padgett, has started the export initiative after stepping up production with a £2m investment in new technology and buildings.

The new technology includes a new 40-metre £600,000 oven which will produce 50,000 scones an hour.

Haywood & Padgett, Carlton Industrial Estate, which makes one million scones a day, has also started exporting to France, Portugal and Spain and plans to expand into the US and Asia as part of a growth strategy which will also see it extend its premises.

The company was founded in 1987 as a one-man business by managing director, Wayne Padgett, with just a rolling pin, pastry cutter, a food mixer, £5,000 of his own cash and a loan for the same amount from Yorkshire Bank.

Haywood & Padgett, which delivers daily to the major multiplies including ASDA, Morrisons, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Iceland, ALDI and Lidl, now has 120 staff and a £13m turnover.

Yorkshire Bank’s Doncaster Financial Solutions Centre provided the latest funding through its Investing for Growth initiative.

Mr Padgett said: “This business started with Yorkshire Bank backing and now the bank is supporting us as we take the company into a new era.

“The funding is helping us expand our current business and invest in new machinery.

“This will make us more efficient and double our production capacity so we can create more jobs for the local community.”

He added: “We believe that we are the world’s biggest scones manufacturer and our scones are being very well received in Australia.

“We are pleased to be expanding in a difficult climate as we have big plans with other trademarked lines which are to be developed thanks to Yorkshire Bank’s investment and our strong partnerships with supermarkets.

“We are also working to increase our business with airports as we feel it is very British to have a scone with a cup of tea and the airlines are helping us to promote this.

“Without Yorkshire Bank’s help we would not be able to consider expanding. It would just not be an option.”