Bakkavor to create 150 jobs at Kent salad factory
Bakkavor’s latest wave of recruitment will cover permanent positions across day, evening and night shifts. Roles included skilled and unskilled factory operatives and hygiene technicians.
The jobs boost is a response to Tilmanstone’s growth plans that have been developed in partnership with its supermarket customers and a growing national trend in online food shopping. This is set to culminate in a range relaunch in the coming months.
Economic health s
Dan Hill, general manager at Bakkavor Salads Tilmanstone, said: “Today’s news on 150 new jobs contributes to the economic health of the local community at a critical time.
“Aside from good rates of pay and real opportunities to progress and develop skills, we offer new joiners benefits including a stakeholder pension and life insurance cover, as well as heavily discounted food products from our newly-opened staff shop.
“We are delighted to be creating significant employment opportunities at a very challenging time for the local economy.”
Bakkavor’s latest recruitment drive comes four months after it created 127 new permanent jobs at its Highbridge site, including production operatives, hygiene operatives, forklift truck operatives and dispatch operatives.
Commitment to the local area
A spokesman for the company said the jobs demonstrated Bakkavor’s commitment to the local area and economy, “particularly with the Highbridge and Burnham area affected by a fall in tourism over the summer months and with national unemployment reaching its highest level in three years”.
The past month has seen several food and drink businesses create new jobs.
Burton’s Biscuit Co., the maker of brands including Maryland Cookies and Wagon Wheels, is creating more than 40 new jobs at its flagship Llantarnam bakery, one of the area’s biggest food production sites.
Meanwhile, Northern Ireland-based Universal Meat Company has launched a recruitment campaign in a bid to expand its presence on the UK mainland. Universal said the move to create jobs in Britain would help the business handle greater demand from consumers and other industry pressures.