More than 400 jobs lost as 2 Sisters confirms factory closure
West Midlands-based 2Sisters Food Group has confirmed the closure of a chicken factory resulting in the loss of more than 400 jobs.
The Birmingham-based company said it had been unable to find an alternative to closing the site in Witham, Essex, which employs 528 staff.
In May, the group announced plans for its turnaround, including major investment in its brands and the closure of some of its UK facilities.
It said it would be reducing the number of UK poultry sites to produce “shorter, more efficient supply chains” and reviewing loss-making sites.
The group said that production at the Witham site will finish by the end of August.
In a statement, the company said: “Following our colleague consultation process, it is with regret that we can confirm the closure of our poultry processing site in Witham.
“Unfortunately, we have been unable to identify a viable alternative to closure.
“We have been able to redeploy around 100 colleagues to our other sites in the region, and more hard work will continue until the end of next month to help assist people with other local opportunities both within and outside our wider group.”
The company has been pushing ahead with a transformation strategy, appointing Ronald Kers from Muller as chief executive last year to lead the turnaround.
His appointment followed a turbulent few months for the company, which was implicated in a food hygienescandal following an investigation by The Guardian and ITV.
The investigation uncovered poor hygiene operations at the 2 Sisters’ chicken processing plant in West Bromwich, leading to operations being temporarily suspended.
