Derbyshire bakery produces two new hot cross bun flavours for M&S as business increases by 20 percent

Dronfield based Gunstones Bakery has added the Golden Blond Chocolate and Salted Caramel Hot Cross Bun and Extremely Cheesy Hot Cross Bun to the range it produces for retail giant M&S which is its main customer.

Richard Broadley, general manager, said: “We supply 12 million hot cross buns for the Easter season. We even supply the hot cross buns in the M&S cafes. We have been making them and supplying M&S since the mid Seventies."

Esther Ingle, commercial controller at the bakery, said: “Production of hot cross buns is a predominant part of our business. The market’s in growth –business is up 20 percent on last year.

"Hot cross buns are for everyone. There is a market for people who don't like the traditional fruited flavour, the spice or vine fruits, or for a younger customer looking for something more adventurous. There is more interest in different flavours; cheese and Marmite has caught people’s eye.

"People are finding different things to do with hot cross buns, whether it be making a dessert or using a cheese one to put a breakfast sandwich in.

Richard said: “Hot cross buns is a very interesting production and incredibly seasonal so that gives the factory lots of challenges and lots of opportunity. We start in October and it’s meticulously planned out day by day right through to Easter.”