Daniels Group's soup plant will create 200 jobs

by thisisgrimsby.co.uk - 30/06/2010

"THE strength and depth of Grimsby as Europe's Food Town was heralded as a world class soup and ready meals production plant was officially opened."

Daniels Group's £8.5-million investment in the former Bakkavor plant at Europarc is creating 200 jobs, with the prospect of more to come after bosses were blown away by the commitment and skill of those who have contributed to a flying start.

As reported, production began with a single shift in April, and the Lakeside facility has for the past three weeks been operating on a 24-hour basis, with the 177 staff currently on the books receiving high praise.

And leading the plaudits was chairman of the group's parent company, Singapore Airport Terminal Services, Edmund Cheng, who opened the facility alongside Singapore High Commissioner to the UK, Michael Teo.

He said: "This site opening represents a significant commitment to the UK food industry. We are proud to be commissioning this new facility, creating hundreds of new jobs which will contribute positively to the local economy in Grimsby and the UK."

Stating the expansion was due to the success of the business and stating it would be a flagship plant for one of the UK's most progressive food companies, he added: "One of the reasons we have chosen to develop here is because of the expertise and knowledge we can leverage on to make more quality foods. We have been very fortunate to gain expertise, commitment and real values, and we look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with the workforce and the local community here."

In addition to New Covent Garden Soup, the UK's best-selling chilled soup brand with annual sales totalling more than £60-million, the site will produce chilled ready meals for leading UK supermarket groups and a new range of frozen soups for the catering sector.

Rob Burnett, Daniels Group chief executive, said the plant will accelerate the growth of the £160-million turnover Daniels Group business.

He said: "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."

One of those employees is Paul Jones, team leader on the soup line. The South Killingholme married father-of-two was made redundant when Bakkavor closed the dual site operation in 2008, having worked at both the Europarc plant and the Great Grimsby Business Park site for 10 years, under the three different owners.

Welcoming the fourth, and pleased to be back in a sector he knows having taken the first job that came his way after a fortnight out of work, he said: "When it closed it was a really bad day, I had been there that long I never thought it would happen, but this is the future now. It is very pleasing for us to hear how highly regarded the staff are, we have got the skills, and when we heard it was being bought it cheered a lot of people up."

More Details: http://www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk/news/Daniels-soup-plant-create-200-jobs/article-2267133-detail/article.html