Jobs at risk as Hain Daniels reviews desserts factory

Hain Daniels has proposed changes to its Fakenham chilled desserts facility, and launched a 45-day consultation period. There are two Hain Daniels sites in Fakenham, with a combined workforce of 500.

The manufacturer was looking at alternative employment for workers affected by the review, including transferring them to other sites, it said.

A Hain Daniels spokeswoman said: “Following a review of our Chilled Desserts business, we are proposing to make changes to our facility in Fakenham, starting in the autumn of 2017. We have commenced discussions with our Fakenham desserts colleagues about our proposal.

‘Alternative opportunities’

“There will follow a collective 45-day consultation period, during which time the Hain Daniels Group will be discussing potential alternative opportunities for colleagues including transferring within the adapted facility and openings at other group sites. No other Hain Daniels Group site is affected.”

The Fakenham site manufactures chilled, premium pot desserts, Hain Daniels said. A second facility in Fakenham produces vegetarian products under the Linda McCartney Foods brand.

Hain Daniels – the UK subsidiary of US-based food group Hain Celestial – has nine manufacturing sites across the UK. Its brands include Hartley’s, Sun-Pat, Robertson’s and New Covent Garden Soup Co. It employs about 3,300 workers.

Hain Celestial

The manufacturer’s owner, Hain Celestial, was formed in 1993 and is based in New York. It makes organic and natural food and drink products, and has operations in North America, Europe and India. Hain Celestial’s brands include Ella’s Kitchen, Tilda and Westbrae Natural.

The US-based firm has 36 manufacturing facilities globally, and generates worldwide sales of £2bn ($2.7bn). It employs about 6,500 workers.

Meanwhile, in February, Hain Daniels agreed to buy premium soup maker Yorkshire Provender. The deal would help both manufacturers to drive growth, the manufacturer claimed.