Speciality bakery manufacturer, Finsbury Food Group has reported on trading for the first half of the current financial year, ending 26 December 2015.
Total company sales grew to £156.6m, an increase of 46% on prior year. This includes like-for-like growth of 7.4% over the first half of the prior year. The UK Bakery division grew by 6.1% on a like for like basis and the overseas division, the group's 50% owned European business, grew by 18.8%.
The prior year acquisitions of Fletchers in October 2014 and Johnstone's in June 2015 are now fully integrated and performing strongly.
Consumer markets remain challenging and organic growth has been hard won, requiring significant promotional investment, NPD and fresh layers of infrastructure.
The group continues to invest in the business through both capital expenditure and investment in its people, to ensure that it is well equipped to deliver growth and improved shareholder value over the coming years.
Chief Executive John Duffy commented, 'Performance in the period has been strong, for both the Group as a whole and also, importantly, on a like for like basis.
'We continue to operate in an environment with external pressures, however through the Group's leading position in the market, its diversified product and customer base, and its ongoing investment in the business, we are confident that we can continue to drive growth and deliver value for our shareholders.'