UK food group Northern Foods has plans to build a GBP40m (US$60m) manufacturing facility for its Fox’s biscuit brand.
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A planning application for the site, either as an extension to its Uttoxeter facility or a new build on the company’s Batley, West Yorkshire site, was submitted in December.
A Northern spokesman said it is not yet definite whether the expansion or new build will go ahead but if so, “only one will happen”.
The company is expected to make a decision in March or April when the results of the planning application are received.
Asked whether the build was a wise decision in the current economic environment, Hanson said: “Yes, we recognise the current financial situation and we view this as something we have to do in order to sustain the long-term business of the Fox’s brand.
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By GlobalData“Biscuits is a very competitive business and we have really improved the performance of our biscuit brand in the last few years but in order to maintain a competitive position, we need to improve this going forward.”
In November, Northern posted a 16% drop in six-month pre-tax profits, which the company put down to the impact of the stronger euro on the company’s Irish manufacturing base. As a result, profit from operations fell from GBP5.5m to GBP3.7m.
