Magherafelt bakery Genesis Crafty: £20m sales and each pancake still flipped

Each McErlain brother looks after a distinct and complementary aspect of the family business to ensure the bakery produces the highest quality possible.

Originally set up by the McErlain brothers’ parents in 1968 as a simple home bakery with just one bread cart, just over four decades later Genesis Crafty is a multi-million pound enterprise and a truly modern bakery but with artisan values.

The bakers still flip every pancake and chaff every scone by hand, ensuring a better taste for the consumer.

A unique blend of traditional craftsmanship and skilled innovation, Genesis Crafty is proud to still be making many age-old favourite recipes, while keeping the product lines fresh with new and delicious creations.

The Northern Ireland-based, award-winning bakery thrives by retaining key values: using only high quality ingredients and hand-baking in small batches. Today, Genesis Crafty employs over 220 staff, produces hundreds of thousands of baked goods each week, and counts celebrated chefs such as Jason Atherton as fans.

Genesis Crafty’s scones and pancakes are currently stocked in Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Ocado and they are currently in advanced talks regarding their cake range and speciality breads with major national retailers - they launched 6 Genesis Crafty products to Waitrose in the past year and are confident that they can replicate this across additional UK retailers.

Last financial year (beginning 1 Nov 2012), retail sales were in the region of £20million and, due to this aggressive plan for growth, projected sales for the coming year in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK this financial year (beginning 1 Nov 2013) are expected to grow by 20% (retail sales in region of £24million)

Managing Director, Brian McErlain ensures that core family values are at the heart of the Genesis Crafty brand and bakery, along with his motto, “never sell what you wouldn’t eat yourself”.

For example, the fact that every pancake is poured by hand, judged by eye and individually flipped means the bakery can use a wetter, home-style batter which yields a better taste and a lighter, fluffier texture.

The Genesis Crafty range includes:

Big Pancakes – (RRP £1.39 per pack of 4). Made with locally produced buttermilk, locally milled wheatflour and flipped by hand for an airy, fluffy taste. Available via Ocado, Waitrose and Sainsbury’s stores throughout the UK.

Blueberry Pancakes – (RRP £1.49 per pack of 4). Made and flipped by hand with ripe blueberries, local buttermilk and locally milled flour. Available via Waitrose stores throughout the UK.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes – (RRP £1.49 per pack of 4). Premium Belgian chocolate chips blended with locally produced buttermilk and locally milled wheatflour. Available via Waitrose stores throughout the UK.

Sultana Scones – (RRP £1.89 per pack of 4). Genesis Crafty’s version of the traditional fruit scone, rolled and cut by hand. Local flour and butter mixed with sweet, juicy sultanas for a rich, buttery and fruity scone. Available via Ocado and Waitrose stores throughout the UK.

Cheese Scones – (RRP £1.79 per pack of 4). Rich, tangy and tasty scones made with soft Irish butter, local red cheddar and locally milled flour. Rolled out and cut by hand. Available via Ocado and Waitrose stores throughout the UK.

Mini Sultana Scones – (RRP £1.99 per pack of 9). A smaller version of the classic sultana scone. Mini in size, still maxi on taste. Available via Waitrose stores throughout the UK.