The latest move from Pilgrim’s Food Masters, a subsidiary of Pilgrim’s Pride, involves the closure of another UK factory in Southall, impacting 260 jobs in the food and beverage industry.
Trade union GMB has reported that Pilgrim’s is initiating a statutory 45-day consultation with the staff at the Dean Way facility in west London.
Gavin Davies, GMB senior organizer, expressed concerns about the impact of job losses on employees and the local community.
Last year, Pilgrim’s Food Masters faced backlash for initially threatening layoffs at another UK site in the capital but eventually withdrew the threat, according to GMB.
Earlier, the company had announced plans to shut down a site in Southall due to challenging market conditions.
In a strategic move, production from the Dean Way factory will be consolidated into two other locations – one in Southall and the other in eastern England.
Pilgrim’s explained that despite efforts to enhance its meals business through operational improvements, market challenges persisted, necessitating a review of its operations.
As part of the consolidation strategy, the company intends to redirect affected employees to neighboring sites where possible to ensure business continuity.
Majority-owned by JBS, Pilgrim’s Pride operates globally and employs over 60,000 individuals, including around 5,500 in the UK.
Pilgrim’s Food Masters, previously under Kerry Group, was acquired by Pilgrim’s Pride in 2021, consolidating its position in the food and drink consumer trends space.
