200 jobs to go as Wolverhampton food firm Freshway closes

WOLVERHAMPTON-based Freshway Chilled Foods is to cease trading with the loss of more than 200 jobs.

The company is owned by Warwick-based food manufacturer Tulip which made the decision to shut it down after Freshway failed to win a new contract to keep supplying sandwiches to The Foodservice Centre.

A total of 208 people work full time at the Freshway’s site on Stafford Road, and will continue to supply FSC until the contract ends in June.

Parent company Tulip said loss of the work meant it would be economically unsustainable to keep the Wolverhampton site running.

Freshway has been in business for nearly 65 years. It was taken over by Parkham in 2009 after it went into administration.

The business was then bought by Tulip in 2012.

A Tulip spokeman said a  number of options are being discussed as part of the closure consultation process, including the possible redeployment of employees into alternative permanent roles at other Tulip sites.

Tulip has 17 sites across the UK and employs around 8,000 people. Its brands include Danepak, Stagg Chilli and Plumrose.

It is owned by The Danish Crown Group which is the largest pork producer in Europe.