The Bernard Matthews site located on Shaftesbury Street, Derby will cease operations by the end of 2026.
This follows the conclusion of a collective consultation with employee and union representatives, a spokesperson from the business told Food Manufacture.
The site had been experiencing sustained financial losses, which on top of current volatility proved to be too damaging.
“This decision follows continued significant financial losses, alongside a range of external economic challenges and the geopolitical environment, including Brexit, Covid, and conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, which have all contributed to significantly impacting the site and its supply chain,” the spokesperson explained.
The turkey factory employs around 600 people; a business representative said the company will be supporting those impacting through “potential redeployment opportunities across the wider business and engagement with local organisations to explore alternative employment options”.
They added that urgent action is needed from UK Government to address the fragility of the UK food system.
“We are a proud British food business committed to providing quality, affordable food, that’s better for people and the planet. For the past two years, we have urged the Government to take urgent action to support the UK’s fragile food supply chain,” they said.
“Farmers and food producers face rising costs and increasing complexity, which are restricting growth, driving food inflation and undermining the UK’s food security.
“Without targeted Government action on supply chain resilience, planning and taxation, we fear more farms and food manufacturing sites will close, increasing the UK’s reliance on lower-quality imports and weakening food and national security.”
