MUFC-supplier Mumtaz's global ethnic food plans

13-Feb-2012 - Last updated on 13-Feb-2012 at 17:17 GMT

MUFC ethnic meal supplier Mumtaz Foods is kicking off its plan to be the UK's largest Asian meal supplier with a new factory

Manchester United Football Club’s (MUFC's) official ethnic meal supplier plans to become the largest producer of Asian foods in the UK with the creation of a new factory capable of producing up to 100,000 meals a day.

Mumtaz Foods has started construction on a new multi-million pound facility at Legrams Lane, Bradford. The 3,252m²production unit, expected to be completed at the end of this year, will produce ready meals, finger food lines, Indian yogurt drinks and ethnic desserts.

Planning permission for the new facility was granted by Bradford’s planning panel earlier this month.

Global force

Director of Mumtaz Foods, Bilal Akbar told FoodManufacture.co.uk: “The site will make us one of the biggest producers in the UK. We have every intention of continuing to grow in order to become the biggest.” Akbar added that the investment would allow the firm to become a “global force in the Asian food market”.

Own-label products will dominate production at the new plant. Akbar said: “The bulk of the volumes will come from supermarket own-label production. Two major retailers are keen for Mumtaz to manufacture their own-label ethnic meals.”

But the firm will also continue to produce some foods under its own brand, he said. “Mumtaz branded meals and finger lines are currently listed with all major retailers. The new facility will considerably increase capacity to meet that demand.”

The firm plans to relocate several other production units and warehousing facilities to the site, which will also include 1,394m² of warehouse space.

When operational, the facility will employ a further 250 local people in addition to jobs relocated from other sites. The total will increase to 500 new jobs over the next three years as production grows, said Akbar.

City’s economy

Councillor David Green, Bradford Council executive member for regeneration and economy, said: "In the present economic climate all new jobs and businesses are very welcome, so we wish this venture every success. We hope the plant can be up and running as soon as possible to aid the regeneration of the city's economy."

In addition to being the official supplier of ethnic foods to MUFC, celebrity fans of Mumtaz meals - also sold through a chain of restaurants in Bradford - include and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Prime Minister David Cameron Amir Khan, Shilpa Shetty and Dawn French, according to the firm.

Mumtaz also manufactures a line of baby foods and runs two factories in the Bradford area.

It also plans to start selling cereals, baby juices and milk powders in the near future.