The new oven, which will bake between 15,000 and 50,000 cobs on peak days to meet demand depending upon the time of the year, is a Polin Rack oven which Stacey’s owners say is achieving excellent baking consistency with every tray.
David Stacey, managing director at the family business, said: “Our customers have always loved our products and our best-selling cobs are no exception.
“However, since the upgrade in November, we have further impressed our regulars and already had plenty of compliments. One customer said that our cobs were the freshest and lightest they’d ever bought.”
In use since the 1980s, the old equipment was installed when David’s father Richard and uncle Andrew Stacey ran the business.
Although the equipment was still working, David said he didn’t feel the oven would continue to bake to the high standards customers expected for much longer.
"Technology has moved on and our new oven is much more flexible and easier to adjust," he said. “It produces a consistent bake and is also much more energy efficient.”
The new double air flow oven uses reflective glass while high density insulation and the double-locking door maintains the heat, resulting in a four per cent energy saving.
However, replacing this piece of essential equipment has been a mammoth task. The new cob oven was imported from Italy by Brook Food and Bakery Equipment.
Before it could be commissioned, the old oven had to be demolished, the floor checked and a new gas flue installed.
While the installation was taking place, the team worked tirelessly around the clock to ensure production wasn’t disrupted.
David said: “Our bakers, Wayne and Dinesh, were amazing. They worked extra night shifts to ensure a seamless change over without impacting the quality and supply of baked goods that keep our loyal customers coming back.”
On an average Saturday, Stacey’s Bakery produces around 15,000 cobs including all its variants and sizes of brown, white and fruit teacakes. On Christmas Eve that figure can rise to a massive 50,000.
David, who can trace the roots of his family business back to the1930s, said: “Producing quality products for our customers is the backbone of our business alongside years of inherited knowledge and skill.
“We have been baking bread for nearly 100 years and investing in the new rack oven to produce our cobs has ensured our future bakes continue to be the very best they can be.
“We are thrilled with the oven and its results - and we are now well-placed for the usual Christmas Eve rush”.