• Leading UK food charity FareShare set to distribute Elkes Biscuits – with all ingredients provided free under the charity’s Alliance Food Sourcing – part of the Coronation Food Project
  • Elkes Biscuits, in partnership with British Sugar, Allied Mills and Whitworths Bros, has produced a classic digestive biscuit which is being distributed to projects across the UK
  • Boparan-owned Elkes is playing a leading role in helping the wider portfolio of Boparan companies deliver up to 50m equivalent meal portions over the next 10 years

Uttoxeter Biscuit maker Elkes has teamed up with one of Britain’s leading food charities to mastermind a manufacturing first by bringing together partners to create a tasty snacking treat where every single ingredient has been donated solely to feed those in need.

FareShare has teamed up with Elkes Biscuits, British Sugar, Allied Mills and Whitworths to create more than 150 tonnes of Classic Digestive biscuits which will distributed around FareShare’s nationwide network of more than 8,000 charities.

Boparan-owned Elkes will make the biscuits at its Uttoxeter factory as well as provide all the packaging and additional ingredients of the deal. The other partners will provide the sugar, biscuit flour and wholemeal flour. Production started in November and will roll-out until the end of the year, providing those in need with one of the UK’s favourite biscuit ranges. Even the packaging was kindly supplied free of charge by packaging experts Saica Pack Ltd.

Last year, Boparan owner Ranjit Singh urged other manufacturers and suppliers to join him and help tackle the continuing food insecurity crisis gripping UK households.

According to the latest Food Foundation tracker, 14% of UK households – comprising 7.2 million adults and 2.7 million children – experienced food insecurity, meaning that during summer 2024, they could not afford food, skipped meals or did not eat for a whole day. It is estimated this figure has doubled in the last three years.

Jonathan Russell, Elkes Biscuits Managing Director, said: “This is a great initiative and a true first for the FareShare Alliance Food Sourcing programme. I would like to thank all partners that have made this happen and I hope it is the first of many such initiatives we’ll be part of in the future. It requires a big effort from our supply chain and it’s fantastic to see so much goodwill and support.”

Kris Gibbon-Walsh, FareShare CEO, said: “We are delighted to see so many brilliant partners coming together to support this initiative, which we hope will be the first of many. By working in collaboration across supply chains, Alliance Food Sourcing has huge potential to scale up food redistribution and reach more people in need. Every day, we redistribute food to a network of over 8,000 charities in every region of the UK, from homelessness shelters and afterschool clubs to refuges and older people’s lunch clubs. With the additional food resulting from Alliance Food Sourcing, these groups can bring people together through food, fostering connections and access essential support services. Working together, we can harness the power of surplus food to strengthen communities across the UK and help individuals and their communities thrive.” 

Nick Donovan, Commercial Director at Allied Mills: “Allied Milling & Baking has supported FareShare since 2016, and we’re honoured to be part of this inspiring new initiative, which calls on food manufacturers to lend their resources and expertise to help UK households experiencing food insecurity. With Christmas just around the corner, we’re delighted to have donated our flour for a special biscuit created exclusively for FareShare by Elkes Biscuits.”

Keith Packer, Managing Director of British Sugar: “We’re honoured to have been involved in this initiative, by providing sugar towards the manufacture of the biscuits. It’s great to see this level of collaboration across the food manufacturing industry, all coming together to support such a good cause.”

A spokesperson for Whitworths Bros Ltd said: “We are extremely happy to support the FareShare programme, flour is an essential ingredient of biscuits, and our team are thrilled to be contributing to the associated charities and community groups across the UK on behalf of this programme partnering with Boparan businesses.”

Since its launch last year, the Coronation Food Project, inspired by His Majesty The King, has seen 940 tonnes of additional surplus food rescued, with 1,900 tonnes more donated; £715,000 has been circulated in community food grants; and £15m has been raised to officially open the first two Coronation Food Hubs in Merseyside and South London.

One year ago, Mr Boparan joined senior leaders from the UK food industry signed a historic pledge supporting the Coronation Food Project. Since then, the industry has mobilised around a pioneering initiative to create a sustainable, systemic approach to surplus food redistribution across the UK food sector, generating millions more meals for people in need.

The Boparan food empire – which ranges from chicken production, ready meals, Bernard Matthews and Elkes Biscuits – will provide further millions of equivalent meals food using surplus products and leveraging critical support from across his supply chain.

• Uttoxeter biscuit makers Elkes urging engineers across the galaxy to consider joining the sweet treat supremo
• Company now partnering with external engineering training provider to guarantee multi-skilled opportunities as the firm looks to grows its massive 2.5 billion biscuit yearly output by almost 50 per cent
• Attractive relocation packages available for the right candidates

Leading manufacturer Elkes Biscuits is looking to capitalise on its growth plans by seeking new engineering recruits from across the galaxy to ensure the Uttoxeter factory can increase its output by almost 50 per cent over the next 12 months.

The booming biscuit maker has a pressing need for engineering experts to ensure the machinery is maintained in tip top condition to accommodate the growth plans – and are seeking candidates from all places.

The current product range includes own label biscuit favourites like custard creams, and chocolate malted milks, legendary ‘nostalgia’ brands like Nice biscuits and premium retailer chocolatey custard and bourbon creams.

Elkes Biscuits General Manager Kevin Hand said: “All 620 colleagues here are valued for the part they play in making great biscuits, and we’ve worked out we have a massive 7000 years of experience between us all.

“But when you’re making 53 million individual biscuits every week, we need to ensure our kit is running smoothly and will be able to take the ramp up in capacity. That’s why our engineering team is so vitally important and we would like to take on more with this particular skill set.”

Kevin explained the business is looking to take on at least one electrical engineer and two technicians, and will consider taking on more multi skilled engineers if the right quality candidates come forward. Successful applicants would be offered a flexible shift system and work hand-in-hand with operations teams.

Elkes is offering some attractive benefits for those that want to join the crew.

UK candidates needing to move closer to the factory get a reimbursement of up to £8000 for relocation purposes. Overseas recruits can benefit from Elkes’ Sponsorship Licence which grants permission to an organisation to sponsor workers with specific skills.  Depending on the duration of the sponsorship license, this can result in the individual being sponsored ultimately having permanent right to remain in the UK. Sponsored recruits also get support funding for two months to help them settle in the area.

Elkes’ HR Manager Deb Shenton added: “We have brought many engineers through the apprentice route to having a permanent full time engineering role with Elkes Biscuits and it’s really satisfying to see this internal progression and careers blossoming.

“We are partnering with an external engineering training company to ensure individual training pathways for all our engineering colleagues, as part of the Elkes Engineering Academy, guaranteeing true multi-skilled opportunities. This is something we’re very proud of.”

“We have some excellent examples of career progression and there’s growth opportunities in engineering specifically, including apprentices, electrical engineers and technicians all the way up to Chief Engineer.”

Deb also explained in addition to engineering roles, the company is on the hunt for a Health Safety & Environment Manager and Shift Manufacturing Managers.

Elkes has gone from strength-to-strength since it was saved from closure in March 2022 after being sold to the Boparan Private Office (BPO).

In September 2023, it announced plans to increase its workforce by more than 50 per cent following major investments and impressive sales growth. Major capital projects are also planned over the next three years.

Anyone interested in applying for a role should contact recruitment@elkesbiscuits.co.uk or call 07546 692514 or 01889 563131 and ask for the HR Team.

We’re experiencing HUGE growth at Elkes, there has never been a better or more exciting time to join our business!
Click here to find out more about the developments in our factory.
If you would like more information on the roles we have available please reach us at:

📧 elkesrecruitment@2sfg.com
📞 07546 692514

At Elkes we love seeing our colleagues progress and develop in their roles! Congratulations Melissa and Kelly 

3 rounds of applause for our great employees in their recent course achievements!

Here are just some of the amazing women that make up the Elkes Biscuits workforce. We are so appreciative of our many incredible and inspiring women across our bakery and office. 

We would like to introduce you to Jack Leatherbarrow, our Engineering Apprentice.
Jack joined Elkes in 2020 and has been working with us, gaining invaluable hands-on experience while studying toward his Level 3 NVQ in Advanced Manufacturing.
You can read more about Jack’s career with us so far below ⬇️
 
⭐️We will soon be recruiting two Engineering Apprentices to join us in September! Information about this will be coming soon or you can email steve.walker@2sfg.com to find out more. ⭐️

Helen Harper, Colette Wain and Kelly Hawkins have passed the 2SFG Traceability Course. Well done and congratulations to the team.
Pictured below with Simon Plastow (QA Manager) and Kevin Hand (GM).