A well-known UK cake factory has plunged into administration. The factory had previously entered administration 10 years ago and was bought out. However, the firm that bought it has now also entered administration. More Food Ltd was purchased by Sussex Bakes in 2017, with the latter recently entering administration, according to an official notice in the London Gazette today. The business was founded in Chichester, West Sussex, in 2003 and has been supplying traybakes and other baked goods to bakeries and major retailers since.

It operates a 28,000 sq ft "state-of-the-art" facility that employs 120 people. The factory supplies a wide range of More Food and Sussex Bakes branded products, but also makes own-label baked goods for well-known high street retailers, coffee chains, restaurant groups and wholesalers. Its offering includes muffins, cookies (baked and unbaked), meringues, tarts, traybakes and bespoke seasonal products made for holidays such as Christmas and Easter.

The notice in The Gazette today confirmed that Sussex Bakes Ltd, trading as More Foods, entered administration on May 11. This is a process whereby an insolvent company gets an outside party to manage it with the aim of saving all or part of the business.

It gives the company breathing space and allows it to continue to operate while it tries to turn things around. It also protects it from action by creditors.

Sussex Bakes Ltd has not shared a statement about entering administration. The company has been approached by the Daily Express for comment.

The official notice confirms that David Kemp and Richard Hunt, both of Exigen Group Limited in London, have been appointed as joint administrators of the company.

More Food Ltd was bought by Sussex Bakes immediately after entering administration in 2017 as part of a 'going concern sale'. At the time, all 150 factory jobs were saved.

The business started as Upstairs Downstairs, a coffee shop that served scones, cakes and other baked goods to locals after it was founded by Caron Howe and a close friend. It quickly proved popular, and other businesses came to the coffee shop for supplies of baked goods.

This eventually led to the sale of the cafe side of the business, and a concentration on wholesale supply followed.

The company's website reads: "We proudly produce award-winning, premium handmade cakes and indulgent treats, delivering both branded and own label ranges across the retail and food service sectors."