Experience and maturity are the preferred skill set for a family bakery.
Family-run Marshfield Bakery has been selected as a flagship example of an organisation that supports the recruitment of the over 50s. More than 35 per cent of the firm's staff are over the age of 50.
Director Chris Smith said there were benefits to hiring a mature workforce.
"With their unrivalled experience they play a critical role in our team, including mentoring and developing younger colleagues. It is in our interests as a business to retain the services of these high quality people for as long as possible. Over the last three years we have enjoyed consistent growth and our highly skilled workforce across all age ranges is a major contributor to our ongoing success."
Minister for pensions, Steve Webb, visited the bakery on Friday to launch the Department for Work and Pensions' new Fuller Working Lives framework, which will encourage businesses to recruit and retain older workers.
Mr Webb said: "Older workers have a huge amount to bring to any workforce and are a vast untapped talent. Marshfield Bakery is a classic example of a successful, entrepreneurial, fast-growing business, which relies consistently on the wealth of experience of both its young and older workers."
Since 2010 Marshfield Bakery, which employs 43 staff, has enjoyed consistent growth and is forecasting sales in excess of £5 million within three years.
