A WORCESTER chutney entrepreneur is moving into a newly-built commercial kitchen - in the hope of trebling production.

Caterer Kit Bamford is hoping the move will boost production of his award-winning range of Kit's Kitchen chutneys and condiments.

The transfer should treble his output and see the company launch a national marketing campaign.

Mr Bamford began production in 2001 using the recipe and apple crop of farming brothers Tim and Colin Caldicott, of Spetchley, after a chance discussion in their local pub.

The range, which is all handmade and includes chutneys, pickles, mustards, salad dressings and marinades, has since picked up a raft of Great Taste awards and demand has constantly outstripped supply.

With the help of a rural development programme operated by the Rural Enterprise Scheme, the team have now constructed new buildings on Upper Wolverton Farm at Spetchley, creating a state-of-the-art kitchen next to the bottling and packing units. The improved set-up means manufacturing capacity has the potential to triple from 16,000 jars a year to 50,000.

"The last few years has been a logistical nightmare," said Mr Bamford. "I was taking produce down to my catering kitchens from the farm 20 miles away, making and bottling the batches and transporting it back to the farm for labelling and distribution. Consolidating the business into one site is not only practical but very exciting as we can now pursue more retail business and follow up supply leads."

The firm is hoping to exhibit for the first time at the Ludlow Food Festival in September and Malvern's Three Counties Autumn Show in September.