Following an announcement in August that the Derby Bernard Matthews site was set to close, owner 2 Sisters Food Group has confirmed that the decision to close the site has been reversed.
The decision to reverse the closure was made after the Bernard Matthews business successfully secured a new anchor customer.
The additional volume this customer brings was said to provide the operational demand needed to keep the Shaftesbury Street site open, meaning around 400 jobs previously at risk have been saved. 2 Sisters Food Group said it also gives the facility a “renewed platform for further growth and a more sustainable future”.
The site’s focus now is on “stabilising the Derby team following this period of uncertainty” and embedding the site’s new customer, under the leadership of 2 Sisters Food Group.
Reversal of the decision follows a review and engagement with employee and union representatives, during which the business said it had “continued to explore all viable options to secure a sustainable future for the site”. The company has also worked in collaboration with Derby South MP, Baggy Shanker, and regional USDAW representative Sharon Khiari, and thanked them for their support during the process.
2 Sisters Food Group said the revised operating model means the site will need to re-enter consultation, with around 100 to 150 roles remaining at risk of redundancy.
The company said it will do all it can to support those impacted, including continuing to work closely with local agencies and Baggy Shanker MP to help secure alternative employment opportunities in the local area wherever possible.
A spokesperson said: “This is very positive news for the Derby community and for the hundreds of colleagues whose jobs will now be saved. We are pleased to confirm that the Derby site will remain operational, and securing this new customer provides a stronger foundation from which to build a sustainable future. We would like to thank our union and employee representatives for their support and constructive engagement throughout this process, and we are grateful to Baggy Shanker MP for his continued support.”
Baggy Shanker, Derby South MP, commented: “This is a huge relief for hundreds of workers and their families, and positive news for Derby. Keeping around 400 people in work is an important outcome. This agreement provides a strong foundation for the future of the site, supporting continued investment and secure jobs in Derby for years to come.
“Since the proposed closure was announced, I have worked with employees, USDAW and the company to protect jobs and secure a future for the site, alongside Cllr Balbir Sandhu and Cllr Gurkiran Kaur. It is welcome that discussions with the company continued even after the original closure decision was made, and that those talks have now resulted in a way forward for the site.
“For those moving into other roles, I am working with the Department for Work and Pensions to identify employment and training opportunities and ensure they receive the support they need.”
