Turkey meat supplier Bernard Matthews has confirmed plans to shut another processing plant in the UK.
The decision to close the site in Derby in the English Midlands comes after talks with employee and union representatives, the company told Just Food.
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Operations will cease by the end of the year.
Bernard Matthews said the move was driven by “continued significant financial losses”.
It also pointed to “external economic challenges” and geopolitical factors like Brexit, Covid-19 and the Ukraine and the Middle East conflicts as reasons for the closure.
The issues have “contributed to significantly impacting the site and its supply chain”, added the poultry producer, Bernard Matthews said.
In 2024, Bernard Matthews closed its cooked meats plant in Great Witchingham in Norfolk and moved production there to five other UK sites, including Holton in Suffolk, Sunderland and Derby.
At the time, a spokesperson said “the large majority” of the 600 workers at Great Witchingham would move to those other locations.
Bernard Matthews was bought out of administration in 2016 by Boparan Private Office (BPO), the investment vehicle of Ranjit Singh Boparan, who is also the owner of 2 Sisters Food Group.
2 Sisters announced a “restructure” in August at its ready-meals factory in Rogerstone, Newport, south Wales, putting 80 jobs at risk. The plant, which produces chilled own-label ready meals across Indian, Italian and British ranges, employs 1,600 people.
In February, 2 Sisters’ owner purchased German poultry processor Heidemark. The family-owned turkey and chicken company will join Storteboom Food Group, another BPO-owned business.
Last year in June, 2 Sisters and PD Hook sold their Hook2Sisters joint venture to BPO. Staff at the breeding, rearing and hatchery sites involved were transferred to 2 Agriculture Breeding, part of the BPO.
Meanwhile, in March 2023, 2 Sisters shut its poultry processing plant in Llangefni on Anglesey, Wales.
