Tasty Italian breads from Fermanagh family bakery attracting global acclaim

​Derrylin-based Crust and Crumb Bakery is now among the most successful producers of a range of Italian breads from plants in the Fermanagh village, Cavan and Craigavon.

The company’s outstanding successes have recently led to it being named in the shortlist for the prestigious Manufacturer of the Year in the Bakery Industry Awards 2023 (BIA), the most important event in the UK bakery industry, and for the Exporter of the Year title in the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) awards in Britain.

The successful bakery, which is headquartered at Derrylin with substantial plants in Craigavon and Ballyconnell, Co Cavan in the Republic of Ireland, has continued its tremendous growth over the past 11 years to become a major supplier in the baking industry across the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Employing 850 people across six sites located either side of the Irish border and exporting its range of pizzas and flatbreads to an impressive 40 countries worldwide, Crust and Crumb is now a major player in Italian breads.

Crust and Crumb has increased business by 33% in the last 18 months, with investments in new equipment including a £2.5 million wood-fired oven to double its frozen pizza production capacity to five million units per week. It is also the biggest gluten-free bakery in Europe.

Judges were impressed by its “interesting products in the gluten-free area, with the company standing out from others in the market via its flexibility, innovation, and ability to react quickly to customer demand”.

The company has a comprehensive range of plant-based products, such as wraps, pizza bases, flatbreads, tortillas and garlic breads, free from all 14 allergens.

Crust and Crumb has met the focus of the awards on “innovation-driven growth, a stunningly clean and well organised site, and a friendly vibe among employees”.