World's largest mince pie factory in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, run by Mr Kipling, opens its doors

Carlton Bakery in Barnsley churns out millions of mince pies every year to ensure shelves are stocked for Brits after the much-loved festive treat.

The 20-acre factory is run by food retail firm Mr Kipling, which is part of the Premier Foods group - and produces up to 2,160 mince pies every minute.

In 2021, the factory is predicted to bake more than 150 million mince pies - along with countless other festive treats including Mr Kipling Frosty Fancies and Christmas Cake Slices.

There’s even an official operator in the factory who is responsible for tasting the pies every day and ensuring they meet top standards to satisfy the mince pie-loving masses, which surely has to be one of the best jobs going.

The factory, which produces all kinds of cakes all year round, has 14 huge production lines - three of which are solely dedicated to mince pies.

Each mince pie production line can assemble and bake 720 pies per minute - meaning the factory can produce a whopping 2,160 mince pies per minute if all three lines are running simultaneously.

The production process is meticulously planned and broken down into 23 separate steps to make a box of pies and get it on the lorry to be transported around the country.

The Barnsley factory - one of Europe's largest bakeries - opened in 1975 and has been churning out the much-loved festive treats ever since.