A new, world-class food production site which will create over 250 jobs as part of an £8.5 million investment in Grimsby has officially opened.
The Daniels Group plant, at Grimsby’s Europarc Business Centre, was opened by His Excellency, Mr. Michael Teo, Singapore High Commissioner to the UK and Mr. Edmund Cheng, Chairman of SATS, Daniels Group parent company.
Mr. Rob Burnett, Daniels Group Chief Executive, says the opening marks the beginning of a food production centre that will ‘lead the way’ in Lincolnshire’s food industry, accelerating the growth of the £160 million turnover Daniels Group business.
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“The site boasts the very latest food production facilities and will produce a wide range of chilled and frozen foods for the UK and overseas markets.
“We are also delighted to have been able to recruit a locally-based workforce of the very highest calibre, many of whom have food industry experience. Their skills and expertise will ensure that the Grimsby site sets the very highest quality food production standards,” he said.
The site has already clinched one major leading business award – the North East Lincolnshire Economic Investment Award.
General Manager of the Grimsby site, Mr. Tim Thompson, described the opening as a ‘proud day’ for everyone connected with the new site.
“Bringing any major new food production facility on stream presents challenges but the way in which everyone here has responded and embraced the opportunity to be part of a winning team gives me the utmost confidence for the future,” he said.
In addition to New Covent Garden soup, the UK’s best-selling chilled soup brand with over £60 million worth of sales each year, the site will produce chilled ready meals for leading UK supermarket groups and a new range of frozen soups for the catering sector.
As well as featuring state of the art production processes and systems, the Grimsby site will have a low carbon footprint, in line with all Daniels Group food plants.
“Our investment in a new food facility at Grimsby reinforces the confidence we have to accelerate the growth of the Daniels Group in both the chilled and frozen food sectors,” adds Rob Burnett.
“The Europarc site will be a flagship for us, producing world class quality food which will strengthen Daniels Group’s position as one of the UK’s most progressive food companies.”
Daniels Group has also announced the closure of its Hythe Road plant in London which produced approximately 20% of New Covent Garden soup. Production transferred to the company’s Peterborough site.
The closure has resulted in the loss of approximately 40 jobs. Eight former Hythe Road employees have transferred to the new Grimsby production facility.
“Investing in Hythe Road to meet the anticipated future growth in demand for New Covent Garden soup, both in the UK and overseas, was not a viable commercial proposition,” said Rob Burnett.
“In future, production of New Covent Garden soup will be focused on our Peterborough and Grimsby sites – two leading edge food manufacturing facilities which will play a pivotal role in our future expansion.”
Daniels Group has doubled its turnover in the last five years and operates six manufacturing sites throughout the UK. In addition to producing New Covent Garden fresh soup and supermarket-branded chilled ready meals, the company is the market leader fresh juice drinks. It also supplies branded and own label traditional puddings and freshly prepared fruit, supplying all sectors of the market in the UK and overseas.
The new Grimsby factory is situated on a site previously run by Mariner Foods which closed in May 2008.
New Covent Garden soup will continue to be produced at Daniels Group’s Peterborough site. In addition to Grimsby, production of Daniels Group chilled ready meals will continue at Consett, Co. Durham.
Daniels Group
Tel: 0113 248 0770
www.danielschilledfoods.co.uk
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