Scarborough's bakery chain Cooplands welcomes new Chief Executive

Belinda Youngs has previously held positions at Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Sobeys Inc., the second largest food retailer in Canada. She has experience in Non-Executive Director roles in both Canada and the UK.

Mrs Youngs said: “Cooplands is a business with a rich heritage and culture, and with a significant opportunity to grow its shareholder value even further. I look forward to helping to build the brand, which focuses on producing quality products at great value, in formats and locations that continue to meet the needs of today’s and tomorrow’s customers.”

Alongside a new CEO, the business has also appointed a new non-executive Chair. David Salkeld has worked across the food industry, at businesses including Upfield (formerly Unilever spreads), the Ainsley Harriott Food Company and Wensleydale Dairy Products.

Founded in 1885, the fourth-generation business has been led by managing director Paul Coopland since 1985. Over 30 years, Mr Coopland and his team have grown the business from five shops to 160 across the North with a combination of organic growth and acquisitions.

In December 2017, BGF invested £8.5m to support the business’s growth strategy and roll-out of its shops across the North.

Since then, the business has opened 29 new trading sites - including new shops in Harrogate and Wawne in Yorkshire as well as Shiremoor in Tyneside in the last month - taking the total number of sites to 160 shops, 12 cafes and 35 sandwich vans.

Paul Coopland said: “These are exciting times for the business as we continue to scale up and expand across the north of England. Belinda’s combination of big brand retail experience and entrepreneurial mindset, having founded and run her own businesses, made her the ideal candidate to help take the Cooplands into the next chapter of its growth story.”