At least 100 employees at a Pinchbeck food firm face uncertain futures as another South Holland plant is set to close.
A 45-day consultation has begun at the Enterprise Way site of Greenyard Fresh UK, one of two Greenyard Fresh sites in Pinchbeck.
A Greenyard Fresh spokesman said: “It is not possible to determine the final impact on our colleagues until the consultation is complete.
“Greenyard Fresh is doing its utmost to ensure that as many colleagues as possible are supported in finding alternative employment within the area.
“There are no plans to close the other site in Spalding and the final outcome for the site at Enterprise Way has yet to be decided.”
A Greenyard Fresh UK spokesman wouldn’t confirm how many people the company employs or how many would be affected in total, but in its 2017 Gender Pay Gap report the company is listed as employing between 500 and 999 people across the UK.
In March, Belgian company Greenyard released a statement announcing its “Transformation Plan”.
In the plan for “unlocking large untapped potential for a healthy future”, Greenyard said a “key highlight” is that 422 jobs “might be potentially impacted in 2019 over different countries, but primarily in Fresh in the United Kingdom and Germany.”
The reason given for the Pinchbeck closure is down to expansion of a plant in Kent that offers the same services. A statement says: “Following a period of investigation, the directors… have reached the decision that operating from two large sites does not deliver efficiencies and cost benefits required in a competitive retail environment.”
Marc Zwaaeveld, co-CEO, said in March of the Transformation Plan: “We believe Greenyard has a bright future.
“By driving a stringent execution of the Transformation Plan, we can unlock a large untapped potential that will significantly improve our efficiency and profitability.
“In addition, our analysis for a refocused footprint over all divisions will ensure that we continue to guarantee our customers the service levels they are used to, whilst optimising Greenyard by divesting those assets that are no longer essential and weigh on our cost structure.”
Greenyard says it is one of the largest suppliers of fruit and vegetables in the world and employs more than 9,000 people globally.
These closures follows the announcement last month that Bakkavor’s Freshcook site in Holbeach St Marks is to close the end of April, affecting 680 employees.
More jobs will be lost this month when the Wyevale garden centre in Crowland shuts down on April 28, with up to 19 people out of work.
