Temptation Bakeries has opened its $2.5 million manufacturing plant in Melbourne, combining offices with a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant and a test kitchen-to-consumer production facility.

The 2500sq m premises enables efficiencies in production, packaging, storage and dispatch processes, with extensive refrigeration and freezing areas for bulk storage and finished goods.

The family business specialises in gourmet quiches, English-style pork pies and a range of sweet offerings. The team is hoping to double its output from around 32 million individual products last financial year, to more than 60 million in the next three to five years.

Owners Pauline and Mike Ratcliff came into the industry 21 years ago and, as their products gained exposure, the bakery increased operations to keep up with demand for orders from hospitality sectors, including national supermarket chains and major airlines.

“You have to evolve the business with the market, you have to stay relevant,” Mike said.

“We have actually capitalised on the advantages of being small and having the flexibility to bring together timely innovation, technology and business operations aimed at keeping costs down, while at the same time being able to deliver on rapidly shifting market demands.

The purpose-built manufacturing plant comprises basic-, intermediate- and high-care zoning, with Mike saying great care was taken to ensure it met the most stringent quality control standards for food manufacturing and hygiene.

“It has been a great challenge and very expensive, but it represents the future of baking if you want to be competitive and consistently deliver high quality products,” he said.