BBF set to produce 150m mince pies this Christmas

Blackburn-based bakery BBF is on course to produce 150 million mince pies this Christmas, delivering festive treats to many of the country's leading retailers.

The final figures are likely to show a 25 per cent increase over last year, factoring in the acquisition of a Doncaster bakery earlier in 2021.

BBF works with retailers on their own unique, own-label recipes and specifications to which the mince pies are produced. The company has expanded its range of options with new flavours and ingredients as well as creating more environmentally-friendly packaging.

Mini mince pies and selection packs are proving popular, especially among those hosting parties, while vegan and 'free from' mince pies have continued to grow in popularity amongst UK consumers.

This Christmas, many retailers have also opted for smaller plastic windows or no window at all in their packaging to help increase recyclability and reduce their carbon footprint. 

BBF has previously committed to removing 22 tonnes of plastic from packaging annually, as well as halting its use of black plastic, which is more difficult to recycle.

Jonathan Lill, CEO of BBF, said: "From the traditional festive favourites to modern twists on the classic mince pie, our NPD team has been working closely with some of the UK’s biggest retailers on ranges which include vegan alternatives, boozy bakes and speculoos. The alternative and traditional mince pie ranges which we’ve been working on over the last few months include a wider variety of different flavours than ever before!

"2020 was a challenging year for many. We saw the nation face lockdown restrictions during the festive season which meant Christmas plans were changed, in many cases cancelled, at the last minute. This year, we’re expecting people to make the most of the festive period with bigger and better celebrations which will ultimately lead to an increased demand for festive favourites."

BBF develops and manufactures an extensive range of high-quality ambient cake products across several different categories including celebration cakes, fruit pies and tarts, chocolate enrobed cakes, Christmas cakes and mince pies. The baker works closely with the UK’s most prominent retailers to produce more than 600 million cakes and desserts annually.