Oakdale cake company Just Love Food Company signs national deal with Tesco

An Oakdale company which bakes nut-free cakes has secured a deal with Tesco to supply its products nationwide.

The Just Love Food Company, based at Oakdale Business Park, will this week see its cakes on the shelves of 140 Tesco stores.

The company first became a supplier to 42 of Tesco’s Welsh stores in April 2011.

The brainchild of former Avana Bakeries and Memory Lane Cakes managing director, Mike Woods, the Just Love Food Company produces baked goods for nut allergy sufferers. Mr Woods struggled for many years to find products on the market suitable for his two children with nut allergies.

Identifying a gap in the UK market for the supply of nut-free bakery products, he decided to use his experience of the food sector to establish the niche business.

Mr Woods said: “We’re hugely excited about the opportunity to take our products outside of Wales – and we have the Tesco Local Sourcing Team to thank for this.

“It’s a big deal for a small business based in Blackwood to supply a national retailer. We opened our site in a high unemployment area in order to share our success with the local community, and we’re hoping this expansion with Tesco will create even more jobs.”

If the expansion to supply 140 stores with two different types of cake goes well, there is potential for Just Love Food to supply four types of cake to up to 350 stores. Mr Woods estimates that if this were to happen, company turnover could be boosted by 80%.

Mark Grant, a buyer for Tesco in Wales, said: “As soon as I met Just Love Food Company, I knew their cakes would be popular, especially across Wales. The facility was excellent and technically it was clear how good they were. The potential for them to be a major supplier with Tesco is huge.

“Based on their capability, I knew they were the perfect supplier to go national. They also have a dedicated team and make all their cakes by hand. All I needed to do was get them in front of the national buyer. They will be fantastic for the cake category as it gives it more options, and will greatly improve the standard of cakes available at Tesco.”