Morrisons: UK supermarket confirms closure of historic Rathbones bakery in Yorkshire with 115 jobs at risk
A long-standing supplier is being phased out as the supermarket reshapes its food operations 🥖
- Morrisons has confirmed plans to close its historic Rathbones Bakery in Wakefield
- The move puts 115 jobs at risk and ends production at a century-old Yorkshire site
- Several familiar Morrisons bakery products are expected to disappear from shelves
- The bakery had already scaled back operations after narrowly avoiding closure in 2024
- Morrisons says the site remains loss-making despite restructuring efforts
A familiar bakery brand that has been part of supermarket shopping for generations is set to disappear from shelves.
Morrisons has confirmed plans to close a historic Yorkshire bakery, putting more than 100 jobs at risk.
The UK supermarket giant has announced it will shut its Rathbones Bakery site in Wakefield, a facility with a history stretching back more than a century.
The move places 115 roles under threat and signals the end of production for a well-known in-house bakery brand that has supplied Morrisons stores for years.
For shoppers, the closure means certain Morrisons bakery lines, particularly speciality breads, are likely to be quietly phased out or replaced as the retailer continues to reshape its food manufacturing operations.
The decision marks the second time in under two years that the Wakefield site has faced closure. In November 2024, the bakery narrowly avoided shutting after a last-minute restructuring plan allowed it to continue operating, albeit at a much smaller scale.
At the time, Morrisons removed white bread production entirely, refocusing the site on niche products such as pitta breads, crumpets, pancakes, and rolls.
Despite those changes, the bakery continued to struggle financially. Industry publication The Grocer previously reported that internal forecasts suggested the business could break even by 2027. Morrisons has now confirmed those expectations will not be met.
In a statement, the supermarket said that although “tremendous efforts” had been made to increase output and improve performance, the 28,000-square-foot facility remained loss-making.
A Morrisons spokesperson said: "Regrettably, having thoroughly reviewed all alternatives, we can no longer see a way back to breakeven and have taken the difficult decision to close the remaining facility."
Staff at the Wakefield bakery now face potential redundancy, although Morrisons says it is exploring ways to support affected workers. The company added it would seek to identify alternative roles across the wider Myton Food Group, where possible.
The future of the Wakefield site itself remains unclear, with Morrisons confirming it is considering whether to sell or repurpose the premises.
The closure is the latest sign of the pressures facing UK food manufacturers, as supermarkets streamline operations and cut costs, often with long-established brands and regional jobs paying the price.
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