Morrisons invests in new meat plant (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Morrisons invests in new meat plant

11:10am Thursday 2nd February 2012 in Business By Chris Holland

Morrisons is expanding its food processing operations through adding a 105,000 sq ft meat processing plant in Cheshire to its operations.

The Bradford-based supermarket has agreed to buy the pork and lamb packing plant at Winsford from Vion UK. The deal will secure 300 jobs and more could be added.

Morrisons’ latest purchase is part of a three-year £200 million programme which saw it buy Derby-based cut flower business FlowerWorld last year.

The Cheshire site has the capacity to expand into beef and increase its overall production. Morrisons said the deal would give the retailer extra capacity as it continued to grow and achieve greater control over the quality of the meat products it sells.

Morrisons is the second largest fresh food manufacturer in the country, employing 7,000 people, and differs from its competitors by focusing on integrated food production and retailing.

Morrisons owns a number of bakeries, meat processing facilities and produce packing factories which helps control the quality, cost and supply of fresh food into its 476 stores across the UK.

Morrisons group manufacturing director Martyn Fletcher said: “Owning the manufacturing sites that produce our fresh food is crucial to Morrisons because it ensures we can control quality and keep down costs for our customers."