UK dessert manufacturer Polestar Foods announced today (1 February) that it has made 232 staff redundant at its Okehampton Desserts factory with immediate effect.
The announcement follows news that the site was not in operation yesterday (31 January) and that staff at the site were not paid on Friday.
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A company spokesperson said: “Despite exhaustive efforts to keep the Okehampton factory operational, we have encountered unforseen problems and very regrettably have been forced to make 232 staff redundant at the Okehampton Desserts factory with immediate effect.”
Polestar said it is possible that an administrator will be appointed by the company in the coming days, and it is “working towards an outcome where a buyer can be found for the operation in the hope that some staff can be re-employed under new ownership”. However, the spokesperson added that “there cannot be any guarantees”.
Polestar was formed in 2009 following the acquisition of two desserts businesses from Heinz.
Privet Capital acquired Okehampton, one of two Polestar sites, when the company was on the verge of “immediate collapse” in November, while administrators were appointed to a second site based in Leamington. No buyer was found for Leamington.
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