£3m gluten-free bakery welcomed

First Minister Rhodri Morgan takes a close look at the production process during his visit to open the bakery

A new £3m bakery which will make bread for people with coeliac disease has been officially opened.

First Minister Rhodri Morgan visited Village Bakery's new Wrexham factory on Friday, which has created 25 jobs.

The bakery will make bread free of gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley which adversely affects people with coeliac disease.

The Coeliac UK charity said one in 100 people had coeliac disease but only one in eight were actually diagnosed.

Village Bakery has agreed a five-year deal with Switzerland's Hero Group, which specialises in products for special dietary needs.

The new company, Village Bakery (Nutrition), will make four million gluten-free loaves a year.

It's great because it shows commitment to the gluten free sector and also it's a state-of-the-art facility Claire Kett, Coeliac UK

Hero UK commercial director John Phillips said the demand for gluten-free products had grown significantly in recent years.

"More people are now having to follow a gluten-free diet for medical reasons. Most of them are suffering from an auto-immune condition called coeliac disease.

"People with coeliac disease are unable to consume everyday foods like bread that contains gluten."

The immune reaction in coeliac disease is triggered by gluten, which causes the lining of the gut to become damaged.

Claire Kett, of Coeliac UK, said diagnosis had improved which was helping increase demand for gluten-free products.

"We've about 80,000 members across the country and our membership is growing at a rate of about 900 a month," she said.

The firm will bake four million gluten-free loaves a year Reporter's eclairs torture

"Most recently there has been a blood test that has come into more general use at a general practitioner-level that's a useful tool for screening for coeliac disease."

Ms Kett said factories had to meet strict criteria to ensure the food they produced was gluten free and welcomed the opening of the bakery in Wrexham.

"It's great because it shows commitment to the gluten free sector and also it's a state-of-the-art facility," she said.

Village Bakery's joint managing director Robin Jones said there was "a clear opportunity for growth, providing long-term, secure jobs".

He said the support of the Welsh Assembly Government, which provided a £620,000 grant towards equipment, had been "crucial".

The gluten-free range will be sold under the Juvela brand in the UK and Ireland.

Village Bakery makes 750,000 loaves, rolls and pies every week at its main site in Minera near Wrexham.