Scotland-based pastry manufacturer Bells Food Group has completed the first part of a three-year £3.6m investment that will double its pastry production.

The business currently produces 60 tonnes of pastry per week. However, as part of the investment is completed, it can now create more than double its capacity to 140 tonnes that will form 25 additional jobs.

The expansion was announced back in February, and the family-run bakery aimed to recruit up to 30 workers as part of the plan.

The new equipment, such as the pastry laminator and spiral freezer, will enable the company to compete for high-volume commercial pastry requirements across the UK, with the export market also in its sights.

Ronnie Miles, managing director at Bells Food Group said: “This new equipment will significantly boost our pastry production levels and allows us to truly compete for the first time in high-volume, commercial pastry needs.

He added: “We have a range of food manufacturing businesses on our radar that we would like to work with, supplying pastry for sweet and savoury pies, en-croute products and having the capability to alter our pastry products.”

Bells Food Group offers a diverse range of puff and shortcrust pastry bases for the wholesale and retail market.