Potato supplier Branston creates 20 new jobs

The jobs will be in operational, technical, engineering and supply chain roles, according to Branston technical director Mark Willcox.

The 518m_­​² ​factory expansion will open early this autumn. It will allow potatoes that are not suitable for the fresh market to be peeled and sent to convenience food producers for inclusion in their mash potato ranges or for pie and casserole toppings.

‘Reduce food waste’​

Willcox said: “We’ll be adding value to potatoes that don’t make it into a pack as a class 1 product, which is a great way to reduce food waste – a real win for both farmers and consumers.​

“We expect that this new business-to-business part of our customer portfolio will continue to grow alongside the very successful chilled prepared vegetable lines that we currently sell to the country’s leading supermarkets.” ​ ​

Founded in 1968, Branston supplies potatoes fresh potatoes, seed potatoes, processing potatoes and ready prepared potatoes to retail, wholesale and foodservice customers

350,000t of potatoes a year​

The company has three sites in Perth in Scotland, Lincolnshire and Somerset. It processes about 350,000t of potatoes a year.

Meanwhile, Welsh bakery Winning Blend has created 55 new jobs​ after securing £340,000 of funding from the Wales Economic Growth Fund.

Cabinet secretary for economy and infrastructure Ken Skates praised the company’s expansion and said it would “broaden its capabilities and create significant number of jobs​.

“The company’s investment and success also has a significant wider impact on the economy,” ​said Skates, who is Labour MP for for Clwyd South, Wales.

For the very latest vacancies in UK food and drink manufacturing, visit FoodManJobs​.