AF Blakemore has invested £1m in relaunching its Penrith depot as it looks to significantly expand its customer base across Cumbria.
The depot, which was purchased from Lowries Wholesale in 2013, is now set to target the hospitality and tourism industry in the Lake District and surrounding region following a full refurbishment and rebranding.
Serving both the food service and retail industry, the site has been dual branded with Blakemore Wholesale and Blakemore Foodservice signage and will target hotels, bed & breakfasts, caterers and local businesses.
The depot currently employs 15 members of staff, with a view to growing this number to 50 warehouse, transport and sales staff in the future.
Customers will be able to take full advantage of a brand new butchery that supplies locally sourced products, a new fresh fruit and vegetable offering, and enhanced chilled and frozen ranges.
In addition, the business has invested in a 300-pallet-capacity freezer, specifically to serve its food service customer base, and a fleet of multi-temperature vehicles.
Blakemore Foodservice Sales & Marketing Director, Jim Dudley said, “Our long-term strategy is to grow our current customer base of retailers and caterers in addition to targeting the hospitality and tourism market in the area.
“We undertook a large sales drive in February where we met with guesthouses, hotels, bed & breakfasts, restaurants and takeaways to promote our full food service offering.
“Throughout the whole process the team at Penrith have remained loyal to Blakemore’s, and they are now immensely proud of their improved facility.
“This will be a fantastic opportunity for caterers and retailers across the Lake District and wider Cumbria region.”