Anfield’s much-loved bakery, Homebaked, has teamed up with Liverpool City Council’s Business Support Service to protect local jobs and strengthen its social mission at the heart of North Liverpool.
Homebaked, just a stone’s throw from Anfield Stadium, has long been more than a place to grab a pie. It’s a community anchor – serving thousands of match-going fans and local residents every week, while offering a warm, inclusive space to eat, chat and learn new skills.
The co-operative, founded 12 years ago by people living in the area, has built its reputation on quality, affordability and a genuine commitment to North Liverpool. Today, backed by more than 200 members, Homebaked continues to champion local employment, including offering opportunities for people with disabilities and additional needs. But as demand has grown, so too has the strain on its compact production space.
To help plan for the future without compromising its values, Homebaked turned to Liverpool City Council’s Business Support Service. Working closely with specialist advisor Jaan Scott – funded through the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund – the bakery explored ways to increase capacity, reduce inefficiencies and confidently invest in the right equipment.
Practical changes soon followed. By rethinking the layout of the bakery, adjusting production schedules and choosing to automate its most labour-intensive job – producing pie lids and bases – Homebaked has eased pressure on its team, unlocked new capacity and kept prices fair for the community it serves.
The result is a stronger, more resilient bakery that can continue doing what it does best: creating good jobs, great food and real social impact in Anfield.
Operations manager Angela McKay describes the change:
“Having Jaan’s knowledge on hand really helped us take the steps we needed. That simple change freed up around ten hours a week for training and new skills, making tasks less repetitive, more accessible – and all of us less stressed. The difference has been transformational.”
The changes have created more capacity to meet growing demand, less waste and greater consistency in pies and stronger ties with local suppliers, who benefited from increased orders, increasing the impact of money spent locally.
Councillor Nick Small, Cabinet Member for Growth and Economy, said:
“Our Business Support Service is designed to help out organisations like Homebaked – established businesses that can benefit from specialist advice to grow.
“Everyone loves Homebaked’s pies and it’s a proud representative of Liverpool, so it’s great to see them create more capacity, which will help them grow the business and supports its hardworking team.”
Operations manager Angela McKay said:
“The improvements in our process have been remarkable. Staff are more engaged, production is smoother and our values are stronger than ever. We’re proud to be growing together with our community.”
If your business needs support, you can contact Liverpool City Council here.
READ MORE: The Sefton Park Hotel embarks on £250,000 refurbishment of its iconic Victorian Villa
