A trio of new bakery managers have risen through the ranks at Village Bakery as 40 new jobs are up for grabs.

The three are the latest bakery bosses to come off the production line at the family firm which prides itself on its “grow-your-own” policy in developing staff.

As a result, the vast majority of their supervisors and managers originally started out on the ground floor.

READ MORE: The secrets to success as we go behind the scenes at the Village Bakery, Wrexham

The bakery is planning to recruit another 40 staff for an extra shift on the new £16 million production line that makes a range of sourdough bread.

A former credit risk analyser who was looking for a career change is among the trio of new managers.

Paul Durkin, 32, tried a string of “boring” office-based jobs but could never find anything he enjoyed doing – until he started work at the Jones Village Bakery in Wrexham.

He landed a role as a production operative and after rising through the ranks he’s been appointed as the manager of the company’s pancake bakery on the town’s industrial estate.

He said: “Originally, I came here just because there was a job available but I really like it here and 13 years later I’m still loving it.

“I started on the bottom rung of the ladder as a production operative, then I became a shift supervisor before being made a shift manager.

“Now I have been made the manager of the bakery making pancakes and I am very proud of what I have achieved."

The two other new managers are Bilel Mejbri, known universally as Billy, who’s now in charge of the bagel bakery, and Mike Bennion, who’s been promoted to run the scone bakery.

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Billy Mejbri started at the Village Bakery 11 years ago and hasn’t looked back.

He said: “By starting out on the ground floor, you learn every aspect of the job and if you work hard you get your rewards.”

There was a similar message from Mike Bennion who was thrilled to be put in charge of making scones.

Mike said: “Scones are a signature product for the Village Bakery so this is big vote of confidence. It’s also a massive responsibility but one that I relish."

Managing director Robin Jones described the staff as the “secret ingredient” in the Village Bakery success story.

He said: “Paul, Billy and Mike all thoroughly deserve their promotions to become bakery managers.

“All three of them have been with us for many years and this is a just reward for their hard work and commitment.

“These are exciting times to be working for the Village Bakery because we are growing at a rate of knots."

Anybody who would like to know more about the jobs available at Jones Village Bakery should email Jason Page at Recruitment@villagebakery.co.uk