Brace's Bakery employees face anxious wait on job future

Uncertainty as to the future of Brace's Bakery in Newport has led to fear amongst staff regarding the future of their jobs. The directors of the popular bread company are currently in discussions with a potential buyer after "facing difficult headwinds" financially. In March this year workers at the Pen-y-Fan bakery were paid a week late after a sale of the site fell through. The 250 employees of Brace's Bakery were paid late but assured at the time that their jobs were safe. Now as talks continue between bosses and a potential buyer, staff have shared their anxiety not knowing the security of their jobs. Never miss a Newport story by subscribing to our newsletter here The family business that was founded in 1902 supplies bread, Welsh cakes, rolls and other artisanal products to thousands of major supermarkets across the UK. In October 2025 bakery directors wrote to staff that as a result of "increasingly difficult" market conditions the only "viable option" was to close Brace's manufacturing plant in Newport . However due to the initial sale of the site not being completed, the expected redundancies of fewer than 20 staff has not occurred yet. Staff are expected to learn more about their fate of their jobs within 24 hours, according to bosses om Thursday evening. Jonathan Brace the director of Brace's Bakery, told WalesOnline: "As you are aware Brace’s have been facing difficult headwinds over the last few months in a challenging market. "We are in talks with a potential buyer and we expect to be able to update you further within 24hrs. Safeguarding the jobs of our loyal workforce is our primary objective, to ensure our quality range of products remain available for years to come."