New Samworth Brothers site to create up to 700 jobs
Just missing out on the number one spot in our countdown of the most read stories on FoodManufacture.co.uk this year was Samworth Brothers creating 700 new jobs.
The food manufacturing giant announced it was building a new facility in Leicestershire this January, creating 200 jobs initially with a further 500 to follow.
A spokesman for Leicester City Council said a deal had been struck for Samworth Brothers to buy 50,000m2 of greenfield land at Aston Green, north Leicester on the condition that planning permission is granted.
Samworth Brothers’ chief executive Lindsey Pownall said: “The land is close to Bradgate Bakery and Walkers Charnwood Bakery, which stand next to each other in Madeline Road.
“It provides a site if we feel there’s a market. It wouldn’t come to fruition until at least 2014.”
She added the site would produce chilled foods but said it was too early to be specific about the nature of the products that would be manufactured there.
City mayor Peter Soulsby said it was “excellent news” for the city at a time of “severe economic downturn”.