2 Sisters Food Group leads our news roundup

The manufacturer joined other firms at a speed-dating recruitment event to help launch this year’s grocery think tank IGD Feeding Britiain’s Future Skills for work month. The firm’s team at the event included Ayesha Khan, who studying to become a qualified accountant with the business.

There was more good news for jobs with Poundworld’s announcement of its decision to create 4,400 new jobs​ with opening of a new warehouse in Wakefield.

The discount retailer – which sells ambient food and drinks – said the centre will open next autumn and enable it to supply 200 new stores.

Müller Dairy created 50 new yogurt and chilled dessert production jobs​ across two of its Shropshire sites. The new roles at Müller’s Telford and Minsterley facilities followed strong growth in demand for own-label yogurt and desserts produced at these sites, claimed the firm.

Axe more than 900 jobs​

Topping this week’s bad news was Young’s Seafood’s disclosure that it planned to axe more than 900 jobs​ at two sites in Scotland – Fraserburgh and Spey Valley.

The blow was cushioned by the news the manufacturer aimed to focus production at one of its Grimsby sites, safeguarding 500 jobs.

Unite the union described news of the job gains and potential losses as “bittersweet”.​

There was also bad news from Greece where the economy appeared to be on the brink of collapse.

Key export market of the EU​

Experts warned last week that a Greek exit from the euro could spell trouble for UK food and manufacturers​ if – as many predict – it leads sterling to strengthen against the euro. That would make UK exports far less competitive in our key export market of the EU.

We ended our news roundup with an exclusive poll revealing 60% of FoodManufacture.co.uk readers would not foot the bill for individuals’ poor lifestyle choices.

Nearly a quarter (24%) of respondents would be more than happy to foot the bill for a person’s poor diet, while 1% were unsure.

Budget headlines​ also featured in our top headlines of last week.

Meanwhile, 14% of respondents chose the tongue-in-cheek option: ‘Pass the donuts dear’​.

The poll was in response to the head of a nutraceuticals firm who argued people who abuse their bodies by eating poorly and not exercising should pay more towards the National Health Service (NHS).