1912 – 2012
Irwin’s Bakery celebrated 100 years baking in Northern Ireland in 2012 – WD Irwin started in business in 1912 in Woodhouse Street, Portadown, Co. Armagh as a grocer and was baking cakes and breads to sell in his shop.
His wife Ruth and sister in law Flossie did the baking at first, the demand for fresh bread continued to rise amongst the local community. By 1932 to meet an increasing demand for their products, distribution was expanded with a fleet of horse drawn and motor vehicles to deliver fresh bread daily on a wider basis.
Business continued to prosper and with it employment; in 1995 when current premises were outgrown, W.D. Irwin and Sons moved to new purpose built 100,000 sq ft premises at Carn.
Now in 2015, the bakery employs over 450 staff and operates 24 hours a day, 363 days a year. Irwin’s manufactures a full portfolio of breads encompassing 4 brands: Irwin’s, Irwin’s Joeys, Rankin Selection, and Howell’s.
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