Buyer saves turkey producer

Turkeys will be the main product of the new firm

A poultry company which went into receivership five months ago has been bought by a new company.

The operations of Brandons - which supplies turkeys to the food industry - has been purchased by newly formed Cranberry Foods.

The firm, based in Scropton, Derbyshire, went into receivership in April 2003 after its owners said the competition from cheap imported poultry was too fierce.

Receivers PricewaterhouseCoopers continued operating the business, which employs 200 workers in south Derbyshire and has a £90m annual turnover, while looking for a buyer.

'Difficult times'

The Brandons plant in Dalton, North Yorkshire, which employed 350 workers, is not being reopened.

But Cranberry Foods will continue to operate the Derbyshire plant and another in Abergavenny, Wales, which employs 600 people.

The new owners say they are looking forward to strong sales in the Christmas period.

Andrew Lewins of Cranberry Foods said: "Brandons has gone through difficult times and we will review all aspects of the business, but we hope to continue the operations at current capacities."

With this acquisition, Cranberry Foods becomes one of the UK's largest turkey processors employing 1,100 people at two processing locations and various turkey farms.