A Belfast businessman has announced the acquisition of one of Northern Ireland’s longest established bakeries, the Corner Bakery in Cookstown, and has exciting plans for growth under the new ownership.

Martin Booth, who is a qualified teacher and digital marketer, has made a substantial investment in purchasing the business, formerly known as the Corner Cake Shop, and has already unveiled a new visual identity.

The Corner Bakery, which employs almost 50 people, comprises an instore bakery and deli-counter and also delivers an extensive range of home-baked goods daily to over 100 stores and businesses across Northern Ireland including the Henderson Group.

Martin Booth, owner of the Corner Bakery said: “I am delighted to have completed the acquisition of the Corner Bakery which has been producing a fabulous array of baked goods for the local community for over 70 years. In this time it has been a hugely popular family business and I am privileged to have purchased it from my good friend Tim whose grandparents, David and Lily Turkington, established it in 1951.

Despite the challenging trading conditions in recent years, the Corner Bakery continues to go from strength to strength thanks to our loyal local customers and retail outlets. I am committed to ensuring the future growth of the business by making continued investment and delivering an ambitious business development strategy primarily focusing on the commercial side to extend the number of outlets we supply to across Northern Ireland. We will also be introducing an online ordering platform to increase our customer base and make the process even more convenient.”

“The one thing that won’t change is our wonderful recipes and product range. We will still be baking using the very best of local provenance and our customers can look forward to the same great taste.

The highly experienced and passionate team are what makes the Corner Bakery special and I’m looking forward to working with them to continue to deliver the great quality, service and innovation that our customers know to expect,” Martin concluded.