Bibby Distribution has won a contract with bread maker Frank Roberts and Sons, which trades as Roberts Bakery, after a 12 month trial of the operation.

The contract will see Bibby’s Scunthorpe warehouse receive bread from Roberts Bakery sites in Northwich, Cheshire and Ilkeston, Derbyshire, where it will pick and pack the produce and distribute to various supermarkets and convenience stores across the UK.

Frank Roberts and Sons said it chose Bibby because of the company’s hold on the time-sensitive nature of the operation, which requires all of the stock –the bakery produces around 20,000 loaves of bread an hour- to be delivered on the same-day to ensure the bread is still fresh.

Roberts' logistics director Mark Owen said: “We were very impressed with Bibby Distribution’s enthusiasm and commitment during the trial, and we expect this to continue as we ensure our customers get the freshest bread possible.

“We’re not just getting distribution; we’re getting a complete service that lets us focus on our core strengths. It is a scalable model which could help provide national distribution capability in the future.”

Roberts Bakery's deputy chairman, Mike Roberts, added that Bibby’s long-standing family core values also held an appeal. “Like us, it is a long-established family-owned business that retains those family values of service and quality, with a national capability. We are looking forward to taking the partnership to the next level,” he said.

Topics