ENTERPRISE Food, the bakery business owned by serial entrepreneur David Beattie, has revealed sales of £23m with a staff of just 24 people.

"I think that's a considerable testament to our business model," said David McCormick, the group's managing director.

The East Kilbride-based firm has drastically streamlined its operation during the past few years, and in doing so it has also reduced its staff numbers from more than 500.

In November 2005, the company sold Coatbridge-based California Cake Company and Campbell's Cake Company in Twechar,East Dunbartonshire, for around £7.4m.

Then, last year, it sold Patisserie UK to a management buy-out team.

McCormick said: "We have transformed ourself into a bakery supply chain management company.

"Half of our business is now the food service market, supplying contract caterers, and the other half is the convenience retail market."

The company reported pre-tax profits of £270,000 for the year to July 1, 2006, compared with a loss of £27,000 for the 18 months to July 2 the previous year. Sales for the period came in at £27m, although £4m of that included sales from the discontinued operation, according to McCormick.

"The convenience retail market is one which presents the biggest growth opportunities for us, and in the current financial year we expect to turn over £26m, up from £23m of sales in our continuing operations in 2006."

He added: "Next year, we expect to take turnover up to around £32m, which I think will be an impressive figure with a staff of 24 people."