30 jobs lost at meat-free manufacturing site after £2.9m sale
Heather Mills
All but two of the 32 people working at the stricken Plant and Bean (P&B) manufacturing site in Boston, Lincolnshire, lost their jobs when meat-free entrepreneur bought the company at the end of June, TheBusinessDesk.com understands.
Interpath Advisory sold site and equipment out of administration to Vegan Solo Consulting (Vegan Solo) and Duo Renovations Ltd (DRL) in a deal worth £2.9m.
The company entered administration on 31 May 2023 when James Clark and Howard Smith from Interpath Advisory were appointed to look after the day-to-day running of the firm.
P&B was an alternative protein food manufacturer based in Boston, Lincolnshire, operating from a 125,000 sq ft factory and producing vegetarian products for large brand names with placements in major supermarkets.
We understand there was a somewhat chaotic behind-the-scenes picture at P&B, pre-sale. Upon its appoint, Interpath says it found issues with the effluent plant and digital control of the site’s ovens. Repairs were started, but delays to restarting production arose and this led to a key customer cancelling orders, meaning that production was never re-started “in any meaningful way”.
Vegan Solo specialises in the production of meat-free products and is run by Heather Mills, the entrepreneur, former partner of Paul McCartney and a leading champion for the vegan movement.
After buying the site, she said: “She said: “I am delighted to acquire the P&B facilities and to keep it as a non-meat factory. I am also pleased to try and help the founder of P&B who has worked in a similar vein to myself for many decades to drive positive change for the environment, the animals and for the health of the global population.”
Interpath says that unsecured creditors should receive a dividend on what it is owed to them, but it is yet to determine the amount.
