Grimsby, England-headquartered Young’s Seafood Limited has signed three major contracts to supply British multinational retailer Marks and Spencer (M&S) with frozen and chilled coated fish, natural salmon and whitefish from 2018 to 2023. The deal is reportedly an assumption of business from Five Star Fish, a fellow Grimsby-based processor that is expected to close due to mounting losses.
Bill Showalter, chief executive officer of Young’s Seafood, said that the decision from M&S to partner with his company “underlines our continued position as the UK’s leading seafood supplier.”
“Together with M&S, we will aim to inspire people to love fish now and for generations to come,” says Young’s Seafood CEO Bill Showalter.Meanwhile, Young’s has announced plans to cease deli and meals production at its Pinneys site in Annan, Scotland, as the operation is no longer financially sustainable. The factory is expected to close by the end of the year. The plan calls for moving the remaining salmon production from Pinneys to Young’s Humberstone Road plant in Grimsby.
The proposed site closure could potentially result in the loss of 450 jobs.
Management will begin formal consultations with staff and representatives at Pinneys as soon as possible following the election of employee representatives to discuss and consider options.
Should the proposal be implemented as expected, Young’s will need to recruit 200 people to work in Grimsby, plus identify another 50 employees to assume positions at it scampi factory in Annan to support growth. Pinneys employees will be provided with information regarding these new roles and will be given preference over new recruitment.
“Proposals to close our Young’s Pinneys site does not reflect on the committed and skilled teams at are there – they are a credit to our company and if these proposals do go ahead we will work hard to maintain the employment of all colleagues throughout this transition,” said Showalter. “We have a long history of seafood production in Annan and whatever the outcome of the consultation we will continue to be a part of the community, given our other factory site within the town.”
