New 2 Sisters contract creates 100 sandwich manufacturing jobs

Solway Foods makes fresh salads and sandwiches for Tesco and Costa.

Its site at Manton Wood Enterprise Park, Worksop, employs around 1,200 permanent staff, plus agency workers.

By winning additional business over the past 12 months, the factory’s production volumes have increased by around 6%.

Steve Bryant, general manager for Solway Foods at Manton Wood, said: “This is good news for Solway Foods and shows how, under 2 Sisters, we are focused on growing our business into the future.​

Continued growth​

“The food industry overall remains tough and highly competitive, but the chilled sandwiches market is showing continued growth and, by putting our customers at the heart of everything we do, we have been able to benefit.”​

The recruitment process is already underway. The jobs will be phased in over the coming weeks.

Founded in 1988 by three directors John Bladon, John Bennett and Neil Adnitt, Solway Foods has an annual turnover of more than £130M. 2 Sisters said the site was a key part of its growth agenda.

Solway Foods was acquired by Northern Foods in 2003.

£342M cash deal​

Northern Foods was then acquired by poultry entrepreneur Ranjit Boparan, owner of 2 Sisters, in March 2011. After a hard-fought battle with Irish food group Greencore, Boparan took over 79.52% of Northern Food’s shares in a £342M cash deal.

Greencore eventually pulled out of the running on March 9 and Boparan announced victory​ on March 23.

Established by Ranjit Boparan in 1993, 2 Sisters is now one of the UK’s largest food manufacturers. It employs around 18,000 people in the UK, Ireland and Europe. It supplies the UK’s major supermarkets with chicken and poultry, chilled ready meals, pizza, soup, sandwiches and salads, frozen pizza, fish and vegetables, puddings, cakes and desserts.

Winning new business with Sainsbury helped the food group’s poultry division to increase like-for like sales by 10.1%, according to the group’s full-year results for the 52 weeks ended July 28 2012.

Overall sales were up by 13.4% to £2.34bn, while underlying earnings were up by almost 12% to £190.3M.

Ranjit Boparan said the group was on track to reach a £3bn sales target by 2015 but remained challenged by rising raw material prices.

2 Sisters: key facts​

• Ranjit Boparan founded the company in 1993.
• 2 Sisters acquired Northern Foods in March 2011.
• The food group employs around 18,000 workers in the UK, Ireland and Europe.
• It is on track to reach a £3bn sales target by 2015.