Food firm hungry for expansion as it quadruples operation

A major supplier of speciality craft produce has quadrupled the size of its operation after signing a lease at a Manchester trading estate, creating 15 jobs.

Enterprise Foods has taken a five-year lease for 42,208 sq ft at CEG’s Arrow Trading Estate at Audenshaw.

Enterprise Foods acts as the bridge between local suppliers and national chains. It works with small local producers providing accreditation management, account management, marketing support and logistics services to a broad range of categories such as biscuits, crisps, confectionary, milk, deli and speciality beer suppliers, helping them to offer their produce to major food chains such as The Co-op.

The group has seen considerable growth since its £30m management buy-out in 2014.

Andy Peterson, chief executive at Enterprise Foods, said: “The new storage and distribution facility will play a pivotal role in accelerating our growth, enabling us to connect many more of the UK’s most passionate local food and drink producers with a national audience. The demand for local produce has never been stronger, and the hub will enable us to make available our biggest ever range of products as we continue to champion all that is best about local food and drink.”

Greg Lacey, investment manager at property investment and development company CEG, said: “We have invested £50,000 in the refurbishment of the unit to deliver a turnkey solution designed to ensure Enterprise Foods could operate as quickly as possible. The work provided tailored racking, space for new chillers and a show kitchen as well as refurbished two-storey headquarter offices. It has been a real pleasure dealing with the team at Enterprise Foods and I look forward to witnessing the business’s continued expansion from Arrow Trading Estate.”

Avison Young acted on behalf of CEG.