Scots baker posts 45% rise in turnover

Johnstone's Bakers posted a 45 per cent rise in turnover to £7.4 million after the East Kilbride-based firm won further contracts in the United States, Australia and Russia.

The company narrowed its pre-tax losses from 1.3m in 2008 to just 40,000 in the year to 30 November and turned a profit of 174,000 at the operating level.

Johnstone's - whose products include caramel shortcake, lemon cheesecake and rocky road - has spent 400,000 expanding its production facilities to cope with demand for its Connie's Cakes range.

The investment comes on top of the 7m spent moving to a new factory in 2007, when the company's turnover was just 2.1m.

Newly-appointed managing director Mark Thomas said: "We will continue to invest and expand to meet global demand."