Warburtons is celebrating its 150th year in business with a substantial £100m investment plan – featuring the acquisition of the former Rathbones bakery facility in Wakefield, which had been slated for shutdown with 115 positions potentially lost earlier this year.

The family-owned business has reached an agreement with Myton Food Group to purchase the land, buildings and equipment at the 28,000 square foot location, which the manufacturing division of Morrisons had chosen to close following years of financial losses and unsuccessful restructuring efforts.

The Wakefield facility will become Warburtons’ 13th bakery, manufacturing branded products to address increasing consumer demand and drive future product development, with over 40 positions to be established initially in production, warehousing and logistics once operations begin, anticipated for September.

Warburtons is also expanding its Newburn gluten-free bakery to double its current capacity, establishing a new distribution hub in Biggleswade and adding new crumpet and pancake production capabilities in Burnley and Bolton to handle growing market demand.

This growth builds on Warburtons’ 2025 acquisition of the former Roberts Bakery site in Ilkeston, which is now fully operational, and reflects the Bolton-headquartered company’s approach of long-term, infrastructure-focused expansion during a period when rival bakery businesses – including Rathbones – have been scaling back or shutting down facilities.