Record sales to top £7m for Cornish pasty firm

ONE of the world’s biggest Cornish pasty makers is expecting to top £7 million sales this year, after making record sales for 10 months in a row.

Cornish Premier Pasties, based in St Columb in Cornwall, said this year has even outstripped sales in 2021 by 21% – dubbed Cornwall’s busiest year – when Covid travel restrictions meant the county was bursting with tourists.

The company was acquired by Mark Norton in 2020 and combined with its sister business, Prima Bakeries Ltd, the group is the fourth largest manufacturer of Cornish pasties in the world.

Employing more than 50 people, the company has recently focused on expanding outside of Cornwall with new distributors throughout the UK.

Mr Norton said: “2022 has been a year of ups and downs for many, with a multitude of challenges thrown at business owners such as the Covid legacy, difficulty in staff recruitment and substantial cost increases for raw materials.

“Overcoming and adapting to the circumstances has become a fundamental part of our business, and seeing this work pay off in terms of sales figures is incredibly rewarding.

“Looking ahead, we’re hoping to grow by a further 15% to achieve an annual turnover of £8m next year, despite economic concerns of recession. To do this, we will continue to focus on ensuring we’re producing high quality products, with competitive pricing and giving suppliers and customers the best level of service.”

Mr Norton praised his ‘great workforce’ and said that with the challenges in recruiting staff, it aims to ensure staff are well rewarded and valued.