Sofina Foods Europe has announced a proposal to cease production at its Young’s Seafood factory on Marsden Road in Grimsby from October this year.
The company said that it had explored “a number of options” to try to maintain the site’s production following changes in future demands for products. However, it was “unable to find any viable solutions” and is therefore proposing to move the remaining whitefish processing undertaken at the Young’s Marsden Road site to the Humberstone Road site in Grimsby, and the smoked processing to the Fraserburgh site in Scotland.
Producing the remaining whitefish contracts at Marsden Road would “no longer be financially sustainable,” a Sofina spokesperson told FoodBev.
The statement confirmed that Sofina Foods Europe is now set to commence a formal consultation with staff and their representatives at the Marsden Road site “as soon as practicable,” following the election of employee representatives, to discuss and consider options.
“During the coming months, we will work closely with our employees, and any other appropriate organisation, to ensure that there is meaningful consultation before any decisions are made and that colleagues at Marsden Road have all the information and support they may need,” the spokesperson commented.
The proposal could result in the loss of 285 roles from the Marsden Road site between September and October 2023. New roles will be created at the Humberstone Road and Fraserburgh sites to support the transfer.
“Today’s proposals to cease production at the Marsden Road site [do] not reflect on the committed and skilled teams who work there – they are a credit to the company,” Sofina said.
“If the proposals go ahead, we will work hard to maintain the employment of all colleagues throughout this transition. Sofina Foods Europe has a long history of seafood production in Grimsby, and whatever the outcome of the consultation, we will continue to be a part of the community, given our other manufacturing sites within the town.”
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