´óÏó´«Ã½

A bakery plans to double its workforce, creating 60 new jobs, in a £1.8m expansion.

The Village Bakery in Wrexham will double its workforce with the investment, backed by £565,780 from the Welsh government.

The business started in 2011 and its annual turnover has risen from from £400,000 to £6m.

The firm last week announced the sale of five shops to concentrate on its "booming" wholesale business.

This year, it won the Fast Growth 50 award, which celebrates entrepreneurship, for Wales' fastest growing company.

Economy Minister Edwina Hart visited the site on Monday, along with UK Trade Minister Lord Green.

Mrs Hart said: "This investment and expansion will not only support the growth of the business and is already creating new jobs, but will bring additional benefits to the Welsh economy through increased supply chain activity."

The grant was provided by the Agri Food Development Fund.

The bakery's managing director Robin Jones said: "We were recently recognised as Wales' fastest growing company and have a desire to continue this rapid growth and have an appetite for expansion.

"We are developing plans that include a new training and innovation centre with the facilities to train the next generation of bakers to ensure the sustainability and long term future of the business and are also considering proposals for a new 60,000 sq ft bakery."

Mr Jones said government support was essential.

The business last week announced the sale of five of its shops to concentrate on wholesale.

The shops in Wrexham, Rhos, Llangollen, Ruthin and Holywell were sold to craft bakers Chatwins from Nantwich, Cheshire.