2 Sisters Food Group, a food manufacturing company, has said that it will close its Llangefni branch, which employs 730 people, after a review carried out by its poultry division found the factory to be “not sustainable”.
The company said in a statement today (Wednesday, January 25), that the site in Anglesey, Wales, is one of its oldest and lacks the space it needs to be efficient.
“The cost to produce here is higher, and it would require significant investment to bring it up to the standards of our other factories,” the company said in its statement.
The 2 Sisters Food Group said that its Llangefni branch is one of the smallest in its poultry division and that it only processes 365,000 chickens/week.
“Our products can be made more efficiently elsewhere across our estate,” it said.
Job losses
Concern is being expressed over the resulting job loss due to the closure.
A member of the Senedd for Anglesey, Rhun ap Iorwerth, said in a Twitter post earlier today that he had met the chief executive of the company ahead of its consultation on closing the plant.
He said he would “fight in every way I can to help the workforce” of the Anglesey plant, adding that the situation was “devastating”.
Newydd gyfarfod pennaeth 2 Sisters.
Just met the CEO of 2 Sisters. The company is to consult on closing its Llangefni plant.
Just tabled an emergency Senedd question. Urgent response required from Welsh Govt. Will fight in every way I can to help the workforce.
Devastating.— Rhun ap Iorwerth (@RhunapIorwerth) January 25, 2023
The Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) has said the closure will land a “blow for the local community, the economy and for food processing in Wales”.
FUW chief executive, Guto Bebb, said: “We are naturally concerned about the impact this will have on our food supply chains as we are losing another food processing site in Wales.
“This will have consequences with regards to limiting food miles and sustainability and urgent action is required to address the lack of food processing facilities in Wales.”
The 2 Sisters Food Group has said that it understands that the site’s closure will be “extremely disappointing news” for those employed there, and that it is “no reflection of their continuing hard work and commitment”.
“Our key priority now is to hold meaningful consultations with all affected employees and their representatives and explore the full range of options before making any final decisions about the closure of the site.
“These options will include all redeployment opportunities in the region with the help of all relevant support agencies, both inside and outside the business.”
