The 126-year-old preserves specialist, which holds a royal warrant, revealed to FoodManufacture.co.uk that it has outgrown its Tiptree factory and now plans to move to a new site either in the village of Tiptree or “somewhere nearby”.
Collating information
A spokeswoman said the firm did not have any more information at present: “We're currently collating information so that everyone can have a clear picture of the issues involved,” she said.
“[Farm Director] Chris Newenham and [joint md] Ian Thurgood are working closely with architects and local planners. After 125 years our factory is getting too small. We want to stay in Tiptree if possible.”
In business terms Wilkin & Sons had its best year in 2010 the spokeswoman said, and that 2011 had started well despite cost challenges.
Joint md Thurgood told this publication last August that the company bought Essex-based luxury puddings manufacturer Coles Traditional Foods last August as part of a strategy to future-proof the business by diversifying beyond jams and preserves.
Life beyond jam…
This market was “pretty static” on the retail side, he explained, despite some growth at the premium end; he revealed that annual sales at Wilkin & Sons (excluding the Coles business) were around £25m.
Coles, which makes traditional Christmas puddings, premium puddings and cakes for the UK and export markets, employs 20 staff at a purpose-built production unit at Great Chesterford near Saffron Walden.
Wilkin & Sons has also made recent investsments in a honey-packing operation, cold store and IQF (individually quick-frozen) fruit plant.
The firm owns tearooms across Essex – in Tiptree, Heybridge Basin and Dedham – and also runs a £1m turnover fresh fruit business selling produce grown on its estate.