Perfection Foods to ‘quadruple’ jobs with Leicester site
The firm said that the new site could “triple or quadruple” the 70 workers it already employs at its bakery in Walsall, when the new 110,000ft2 site opens later this year. The Walsall site was opened last month and will triple Perfection’s capacity, according to the firm.
Perfection has now acquired the Leicester site in a bid to build on the 35% of its turnover that already comes from exports to developing nations, such as Brazil, Russia, India and China.
Across Europe
Gurdeep Singh-Bath, director of Perfection Foods, told FoodManufacture.co.uk: “We already export across Europe in over 10 different markets. We needed a new central distribution centre to handle exports to Asian, South American and African markets,”
“If we put production in, it will triple or quadruple the number[of the Walsall workers]. But it is too early to say right now.”
Singh also revealed that the firm would increase the capacity of the site in 2014, by adding manufacturing capabilities, if export demand is met.
But any success would depend heavily on the firm finding the right price for its target markets, according to UK Trade and Investment trade advisor, Rob Furse.
Middle East
He told FoodManufacture.co.uk: “If the price is there, the demand will be. We have firms shipping fresh cheese and yogurt with a five-day shelf-life to the Middle East, so anything is possible.”
Perfection’s plan was welcomed by Martin Traynor, chief executive of Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce, who claimed that the potential jobs would further strengthen the food sector in the area.
He said: “The food sector is particularly strong in Leicester and we welcome the development as well as the jobs it will bring,”
In December last year, FoodManufacture.co.uk reported that Perfection Foods planned to create 170 jobs at two new sites in Leicester and Walsall.
The firm currently supplies cakes to Asda, Morrisons and Makro, which are produced from its oldest facility, based in Wendesbury.
