An artisan baker based in Brough has discovered the perfect recipe for success after receiving both financial and practical support from the Invest East Yorkshire team.
Luke Jenneson, who owns and runs Luke’s Bakery, is now able to bake twice as much bread after Invest East Yorkshire helped him to access grant funding to cover the cost of equipment he needed to be able to ramp up production. This, in turn, has enabled him to double his sales and take on additional employees.
Luke produces handcrafted sourdough bread and other baked goods for local retailers and food outlets, as well as selling direct to customers. Since launching his business in December 2022, it has continued to grow and evolve. Luke’s dedication to quality and craftsmanship has been recognised at this year’s Great Taste Awards by the Guild of Fine Food, where his white, white and rye and malted granary sourdough each received gold stars.
The talented baker first contacted Invest East Yorkshire in May last year to enquire about any grant funding streams that his business might be eligible for and find out what other types of support might be available to him.
Tracy Fairbank, a Business Adviser in the Invest East Yorkshire team, explained: “Luke’s business had grown quickly and was almost at capacity with the equipment he had. He needed to buy additional, larger equipment that would enable him to increase production and allow his business to continue growing.”
Tracy helped Luke to access a UK Shared Prosperity Fund grant that made it possible for him to bring his growth plans forward so he could keep up with soaring demand for his bread and other baked goods. As well as successfully guiding Luke through the grant application process, Tracy also put him in touch with the East Yorkshire Local Food Network, which provides useful opportunities for local food and drink businesses to share ideas, information and resources.
Luke used the grant funding to buy the new equipment that he so badly needed, doubling the production capacity of his business and, at the same time, his sales. Thanks to the support he received from Invest East Yorkshire, he has been able to realise the first phase of his business growth plan much sooner than he would have done otherwise.
He explained: “I’m extremely grateful for the support and guidance of the Invest East Yorkshire team. The grant has helped to grow my business by funding additional equipment, which has allowed me to scale-up the capacity of my bakery. I’m now moving into my second year of trading with a much more positive outlook.”
Part of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Invest East Yorkshire’s Business Support team works closely with businesses on projects that will help them to grow and evolve, as well as identifying any sources of funding that may be available to help them. If you’re looking for support or to find out if you’re eligible for grant funding, go to www.investeastyorkshire.co.uk/business-support for more information.
