French bakery L’éclair Patisserie has boosted output with Riggs Autopack’s revolutionary depositor
Leeds-based L’éclair Patisserie was born from a passion for French cooking, especially the sweet side, and the realisation that everyone needs an éclair in their life. With a small team of pastry chefs sharing the same obsession for French patisserie and perfection, L’éclair Patisserie came to life.
Their journey began during lockdown, when they converted an old gym in West Leeds into a kitchen perfectly suited for creating patisserie. Next came the shop.
Determined to bring a touch of Paris to Leeds, the team enlisted a real-life Frenchman (Frank the Machine) who understood their vision and helped bring it to life.
Since the early days of their humble bakery shop, L’éclair Patisserie has experienced substantial growth. They have become a contract supplier, producing thousands of bespoke products daily for national hotel groups. Their skilled team creates a wide variety of tarts, macarons, gâteaux, and cheesecakes, among other products, tailored to meet each client’s specific requests.
As production increased, they realized that meeting demand required finding a suitable semi-automatic depositor. Co-founder Stephen Thompson approached depositor manufacturer Riggs Autopack to discuss their needs.
The initial goal was to streamline the production process by accurately depositing their range of ambient-temperature cake batters directly into trays, with a nominal single deposit range of 3ml to 40ml.
Following the initial inquiry, Riggs Autopack Technical Sales Engineer Neil Pygott visited the premises to review their requirements in person and evaluate their range of products and containers.
To meet L’éclair Patisserie’s specific production needs, Riggs Autopack recommended the Model 1000 Series 1 Micro Depositor and provided the bakery with a complimentary two-week trial to conduct comprehensive product tests.
Stephen Thompson said: “The support and guidance we received from Neil Pygott and Riggs Autopack were invaluable and perfect! We hadn’t used depositors before and relied heavily on their expert guidance. Within just a couple of days of running the machine in production, operators reported how much easier and quicker the depositor had made their jobs. They loved it.”
The depositor increased production speed, improved depositing accuracy, and enhanced product presentation. As a result, L’éclair Patisserie invested in the Series 1 Micro Depositor, which has dramatically transformed the company and reduced production costs. They now produce five times more volume, and what previously took 22 minutes of production time now takes just four minutes. Purchasing the depositor also opened new opportunities, allowing the bakery to accept larger contracts they had previously been unable to fulfill.
Stephen Thompson added: “I contacted several companies that sell depositors. However, from the first call to Riggs Autopack, I knew they had the experience, knowledge, and support we’d need in this new field for us.
“At our first meeting, there was no pressure to buy or a ‘our machine is better than everyone else’s’ attitude. They let the machine do the talking. Even during the setup of the trial machine, Neil Pygott and a service engineer came out to set everything up and walked the team through every element.”
Stephen Thompson’s advice to others in a similar situation is straightforward: “Buy this machine! It saves labor costs, portion costs, and opens up NPD. Most importantly, anyone can use it. As an added bonus, you’ll gain a great new friend named Neil.”
