2 Sisters Food Group has announced a £7 million capital investment programme at its Carlisle facility, which produces prepared meals.
The announcement follows the granting of a major contract by Marks & Spencer to the group, which will see up to 30 new SKUs being developed by 2 Sisters, including seafood-based and gourmet meals.
As part of the investment, a new state-of-the-art vegetable processing facility is being developed, including new cooling tunnels, steam-injected kettles for cooking and cooling sauces, new coating systems and two new automated packing lines, the company said.
Increased Investment
“Our vision is to create a truly world-class business who is trusted to deliver, so we are delighted such a prestigious customer as M&S recognise and value us as a reliable partner with the ability to create quality food, for the right price in a sustainable and transparent way," said Ronald Kers, 2 Sisters Food Group CEO.
“Delicious, healthy, convenient and affordable food is increasingly being sought by consumers and our business can work extremely closely with customers like M&S to create own label brands that truly differentiate themselves from competitors."
More than 200 new jobs are expected to be created as a result of the new business win, with roles created in operational, technical and supply chain functions.
“We are transforming our supply base to create a faster, more commercial network which will improve value and availability for our customers," commented Kate Stein, head of food technology at Marks & Spencer.
"The new site extension at Carlisle will help us react more quickly to consumer tastes and develop and deliver great quality, innovative products to market.”
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine
