Ryvita restructuring will create 38 new jobs in Poole

10-Nov-2010 - Last updated on 10-Nov-2010 at 08:55 GMT

A multi-million pound programme to turn an old warehouse next to the Ryvita factory in Poole into a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility will be completed by next spring.

Speaking to FoodManufacture.co.uk after parent company Associated British Foods (ABF) posted a 26% rise in full-year pre-tax profit yesterday, a Ryvita spokesman said the new 4,000m² site at Poole would house two production lines shipped over from the Ryvita plant in Stockport and a third new production line. Space would also be left for a fourth.

Production at Stockport – which employs 73 staff – would be phased out from early next year, while the new factory at Poole would be fully operational by May.

Redundancies at Stockport

The move would create 38 new jobs at Poole and potentially result in a “number of redundancies at Stockport”, but staff would be given every opportunity to relocate to Poole or apply for vacancies at the Patak’s facility at Leigh in Lancashire, he said.

“For those who are not in a position to transfer to Poole, we will attempt to identify employment opportunities in other ABF-owned businesses in the region, which include Allied Bakeries, AB World Foods and Westmill Foods.”

While the Poole site was fully owned by ABF, the Stockport site was leased, he added.

“Bringing production into one site will also save 200,000 road miles. Although Stockport is a high-performing site, there are warehousing issues raised by running two sites that make similar products.”

ABF said that Ryvita had had a strong second half boosted by a TV advertising campaign and was growing by more than 5% year-on-year.