Burger firm enters administration

The revolution in school dinners hit Canterbury Foods' sales

Meat products maker Canterbury Foods has gone into administration after failing to agree a refinancing plan with banks.

Administrators have sold the firm's sites at Bridgend in south Wales and Sheppey and Whitstable in Kent to former managers, safeguarding 220 jobs.

They are now seeking to sell the remaining site in Bristol.

Canterbury Foods was hit by rising meat prices and recent Jamie Oliver-inspired changes to school dinner menus.

The firm made a loss of £1.1m in the first six months of 2005 and sold off its two sites in Hull and Stoke-on-Trent just before Christmas in a bid to reduce debts.

The new owners of the Kent and Bridgend sites, Medway Foods, will concentrate on supplying sausage rolls, pies and pasties to other food wholesalers.