Bakkavor opens £800k employee facilities

29-May-2019 - Last updated on 29-May-2019 at 11:25 GMT

Bakkavor has opened new facilities for its employees at its Highbridge site

Bakkavor Desserts has opened new £800,000 employee facilities at its Highbridge, Somerset factory, as part of its continued investment in the site.

Opened yesterday (28 May) by Steve Bugden, Bakkavor’s longest-serving employee, who has spent 26 years with the company, the new facilities included changing rooms, lockers and toilets for the site’s 540 workers.

Speaking at the launch, head of site operations John Bowman said: “We’re delighted that Steve has joined us today to officially open our new employee facilities as he is a valued long-standing member of our team with over 25 years’ service.

‘Important to invest’

“We’re proud of our business here in Highbridge and, as it grows, we know it’s important to invest in our facilities so that our employees feel part of a great business.”

Bakkavor’s investment in its Highbridge site comes a month after it closed its Freshcook meals facility in Holbeach St Marks, Lincolnshire, following the completion of a consultation period for the loss-making site. Freshcook employed about 680 people as of 30 December 2018.

Meanwhile, a Leicester flatbread maker is on the verge of moving into a new £8m, purpose-built factory to fulfil growing demand from larger customers in the UK and Europe and triple its turnover.