A spokesperson for turkey producer Bernard Matthews has said a proposal has been put forward to cease operations at one of its sites that employs 600 people.
The cooked meat site at Great Witchingham is “not a sustainable operation”, the spokesperson said.
“Despite investment in recent years and our efforts to secure more business, it is still loss-making and not commercially viable.
“Therefore our proposal is to cease operations at this location, putting the site at risk of closure.
“We understand this will be extremely disappointing news for everyone concerned at Great Witchingham.
“This proposal is in no way a reflection of the hard work and commitment our colleagues show every day.”
Closure
If closure is confirmed, the affected employees will be offered alternative roles at a sister site in Holton, or across other company sites in East Anglia.
The company intends to invest and grow in East Anglia, the spokesperson said.
As well as the sister site in Holton, other sites in the wider group of companies are located at Flixton, Attleborough, Thetford and Eye.
“Following a review of our operations in East Anglia, we are proposing to make changes to help us overcome the huge challenges facing our sector,” the spokesperson said.
“Our key priority now is to hold consultations with all employees and their representatives and explore the full range of options before making any final decisions.”
Bernard Matthews said the company operates in an extremely challenging environment and that the it continues to make losses.
£10 million in losses was experienced last year, down from £25 million in losses the previous year.
