2 Sisters Food Group is hiring “several hundred” workers across its UK-based businesses – poultry, bakery and meal solutions – to cope with the upsurge in demand from coronavirus.
A company spokesperson told just-food it is seeing “unprecedented demand” due to the Covid-19 crisis, which has prompted foodservice outlets, including restaurants and other chains not classed as essential services, to close operations, a measure that has fed increased orders at retail amid a nationwide lockdown imposed earlier this week.
“The Government has rightly classified our colleagues in a critical sector and we are currently working in extremely challenging conditions to fulfil orders at the same time as keeping everyone safe,” 2 Sisters said.
That means the company is hiring workers to fill roles at its primary poultry business – 2 Sisters – and also Fox’s Biscuits and Holland’s Pies.
Interestingly, both Fox’s and Holland’s Pies, have at one time or another been the subject of sale speculation as Ranjit Singh Boparan, the group’s millionaire owner, has been in the process of whittling down the business.
In meal solutions – private-label ready meals, soups and sauces, pizza, hot cross buns, and chilled and frozen fish – 2 Sisters operates six sites. It has two in Sheffield, and one each in Carlisle, Grimsby, Rogerstone and Nottingham encompassing companies such as: Cavaghan & Gray; Gunstores Bakery; Grimsby Soups & Sauces; Pennine Foods; RF Brookes; and The Pizza Factory.
The 2 Sisters spokesperson said: “We take real pride in helping to feed the nation at this time of crisis.
The business is experiencing unprecedented levels of demand for food across its division, so we are very keen to help those who may be out of work as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
“We have various roles ranging from packing, dispatch and preparation, and there are various shift patterns to fit around people’s lifestyles. Applicants can be interviewed very quickly and hopefully we can accommodate as many people as possible.”
And with so many losing their jobs in sectors that have been forced to shutdown, the spokesperson said positions are being filled almost as soon as we can advertise them.
