A FATHER inspired to open a bakery by his children’s nut allergies saw his first cakes come off the production line.

Mike Woods, 46, came up with the idea for his nut-free cake business, Just Love Food, after struggling to find supermarkets stocking celebration cakes his youngsters could eat.

His factory, at Oakdale Business Park, sprung into action yesterday, after he secured a contract to supply children’s birthday cakes to 200 Sainsbury’s stores across the UK.

He and his wife Karen, 45, who live in Marshfield, near Newport, discovered their daughter Danika, 13, was allergic to nuts when she went for tests to find why she was suffering from eczema and asthma in 2001.

Tests on the rest of the family revealed their son Rourke, ten, was also allergic and both children were forced to restrict their diets.

Mr Woods, who was previously managing director for Newport’s Avana Bakeries and Memory Lane Cakes in Cardiff, identified a gap in the market for nut-free bakery products and, after viewing 32 site, chose the 12,500 square foot unit in Oakdale.

Mr Woods said: "It was crucial we found a site where nuts had never been handled and because this has previously been used to store non food items there was no danger of contamination."

He brought in bakery equipment, including a mixer, oven and batter depositor, and took on nine staff.

Anyone entering the bakery must undergo a strict handwashing regime and wear overalls and hairnets to prevent contamination.

The company has signed an 12-week exclusive deal with Sainsbury’s to produce 24,000 madeira cakes, with different designs for girls and boys.

The cakes hit the shelves on April 14, including at stores in Blackwood and Newport, and the price has not yet been announced.

After the deal, Mr Woods plans to begin talks with other food chains and hopes to be making more designs in the coming months.