Baxters Foods mulls job cuts
Local press reports refer to up to 50 employees potentially affected, with more than 20 redundancies being considered at its Selkirk shop and café alone.
The move looks set to affect three of the company’s five retail sites in Scotland, including, aside from Selkirk, locations at Leith Ocean Terminal and Blackford.
Blackford is also the site of a warehouse and distribution centre, the owner of which is understood to be selling, thus rendering the three retail sites untenable.
Upheaval
While the situation is primarily affecting Moray-based Baxters’ retail operations, the resultant upheaval is likely to be felt across the business.
That said, the company has also pursued a determined growth strategy over the past four years, boosting sales considerably by buying canned food processor Fray Bentos from Princes Foods in November 2011.
Baxters was unavailable for comment as this article was being published. However, a spokeswoman for the Scottish government said it was aware of the firm’s situation and steps were being taken to support staff hit by redundancy.
‘Manufacturing operations unaffected’
“We understand that at this stage Baxters has not yet started the formal process of redundancy consultation, and that its main manufacturing operations are unaffected,” she told FoodManufacture.co.uk.
“However the national PACE [Partnership Action for Continuing Employment] team has contacted the company to provide information on the support on offer, including support for any employees at their retail outlets who may be facing redundancy.”
Baxters shifted Fray Bentos’s production from Long Sutton, Lincolnshire, to the Scottish Highlands at the end of last year. And in early March, the firm bought Australian organic sauce specialist Jensen’s Choice Foods.
Baxters also acquired a vinegar plant, which Japanese outfit Nakano was forced to divest by competition authorities in June 2012 after buying Premier Foods’ sauces and pickles business.
