Three new jobs have been created and ten more are planned at a Bradford-based food manufacturer which has extended its base in the city.

The family-run Dalesman Group, a producer of seasonings, is looking to grow by another ten per cent in the next 12 months and has added a 7,000 sq ft extension which has doubled its warehousing space.

The expansion followed a funding deal arranged through NatWest business bankers in Bradford.

Dalesman is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of seasonings, making them for meat, bakery and fish processors.

The company employs 81 people and manufactures more than 60 tonnes of products every week.

The warehouse extension, at its base in Chase Way, Bradford, features state-of- the-art racking, with an additional 650 pallet spaces It takes the total size of the head office building to 40,000 sq ft.

Now in the hands of the third generation of the family, the business was established in Bradford in 1979 as Gordon Rhodes and Son by husband and wife Gordon and Gwynneth Rhodes and their son Ian.

In 1981 the company expanded to the North East and North West, trading under the Dalesman brand.

In 1989, with the help of NatWest, the company bought its first factory at Buttershaw along with its first mixing machine.

The company specialises in producing bespoke blends of seasonings and mixes for sausages, burgers, pies, pasties, gravies and sauces as well as their increasingly popular ‘Country Fayre’ range of sausage mixes. Ian Rhodes, managing director, said: “The factory extension was planned as part of the continued growth of the company and was much needed to alleviate congestion.

“The extension will enable us to maximise productivity, improve reliability and increase efficiency, allowing us to meet our customer’s requirements even more effectively.”

The funding package was provided through the NatWest business and commercial banking team in Bradford.

Eric Brindle, relationship manager, said: “The Dalesman Group is a well-respected local business whose products are used by clients all over the UK.

“The extension will undoubtedly strengthen the company and enable them to take the business on to its next stage of development.”