Bells of Lazonby boosts growth with new commercial director, Katie Cummings, appointed from Nestlé
Bells of Lazonby, the longstanding Cumbria bakery, has appointed Katie Cummings as its new commercial director to spearhead growth and expand its retail and foodservice reach as it marks its 80th anniversary.
Bells of Lazonby has appointed Katie Cummings as commercial director as the Cumbria family bakery enters its 80th year and steps up investment in its people, manufacturing base and brands. The third-generation business said Ms Cummings will work across both its traditional bakery operation and its free-from arm, with a brief to shape commercial strategy and identify new routes to growth across retail and foodservice. According to the company, she will join in early October.
Ms Cummings arrives from Nestlé Professional, the out-of-home division of Nestlé UK & Ireland, where she was most recently head of cash and carry and vending. Nestlé Professional says it serves the foodservice sector with food and beverage solutions, while Ms Cummings’ wider background includes more than a decade with Nestlé and earlier buying experience at Morrisons in Bradford, giving her exposure to both supermarket retail and supplier-side commercial roles.
In a statement, Ms Cummings said she was drawn to the business by its heritage and its growth ambitions, adding that she sees scope to build on existing customer relationships and the experience already within the team. Rob Keeping, managing director at Bells of Lazonby, said her understanding of the food industry and its customers would be valuable as the bakery looks to deepen partnerships and unlock further opportunities across conventional and free-from bakery.
Founded in 1946, Bells of Lazonby remains wholly family-owned and now operates two sites in Cumbria: one for conventional sweet bakery and one dedicated to free-from production. It supplies major UK retailers, high street coffee chains and foodservice customers, and is also home to the free-from brand We Love Cake, which offers products including cakes and traybakes for gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan diets. The appointment comes as the business has also been named a finalist at the Baking Industry Awards 2026 in categories including Manufacturer of the Year and We Love Cake Bakery Brand of the Year.
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