M&S highlights value of 80‑year Park Cakes partnership

Marks & Spencer has underscored the importance of its long‑standing relationship with Park Cakes, positioning the Oldham bakery as a cornerstone of its “fortress factory” approach — a model designed to accelerate innovation, strengthen supply resilience and support British manufacturing.

The retailer’s renewed focus on the partnership comes as its latest product launch, the Made Without Wheat Gluten Free Colin the Caterpillar, surpassed 10,000 sales in the first five days of hitting shelves. 

Park Cakes, one of seven M&S fortress factories across the UK, has worked exclusively with the retailer for more than 80 years, beginning with Eccles Cakes and now producing more than 200 M&S bakery lines, including the original Colin the Caterpillar since 1990. Today, M&S products account for 85% of Park Cakes’ Oldham output, reflecting the depth of the collaboration. 

A model built for speed, investment and quality

The fortress factory concept is central to M&S’s supplier strategy. These dedicated sites are operated by long‑term partners who manufacture only M&S products, enabling the retailer to fast‑track development, maintain tight quality control and give suppliers the confidence to invest in new technology. 

This approach was instrumental in the development of the new gluten‑free Colin the Caterpillar. Park Cakes invested over £1.5 million in a “factory within a factory” — a dedicated gluten‑free production line designed to meet strict allergen‑control standards. M&S also contributed investment to support the upgrade. The result is one of the most requested products on M&S Food’s social channels, now available in more than 400 stores and via Ocado. 

A partnership built on innovation

The Oldham site has become a hub of bakery innovation for M&S, with the fortress factory model enabling rapid prototyping, close collaboration between technical teams and the ability to scale new products quickly. Finished gluten‑free Colins can now be seen moving along the dedicated production line. 

M&S says the model is part of its long‑term commitment to supporting and investing in British suppliers, ensuring they have the stability to modernise facilities and develop new capabilities. The retailer believes this is essential for maintaining product leadership in categories such as cakes, celebration ranges and free‑from bakery.

Strengthening supply chain resilience

Beyond innovation, the fortress factory strategy also strengthens supply chain resilience — a priority for M&S as it continues to grow its food business. By working with dedicated, long‑term partners, the retailer can secure consistent quality, protect proprietary recipes and ensure continuity of supply during periods of high demand.

The success of the gluten‑free Colin launch demonstrates the model’s effectiveness: rapid development, fast scale‑up and strong early sales performance.

A partnership built to last

With more than eight decades of collaboration behind them, M&S and Park Cakes continue to demonstrate how deep supplier relationships can drive category leadership. As consumer demand for free‑from, premium and innovative bakery products grows, the fortress factory model is set to play an increasingly important role in M&S’s strategy.