Frozen food factory cuts 95 jobs

The firm makes own label frozen ready meal products for retailers

A frozen food factory is cutting its workforce by almost a quarter, blaming a downturn in sales.

Headland Foods said it will try and find alternative work for 95 of the 395 employees at its Flint site.

The firm, established in 1990, produces 180 frozen ready meal products and has a newer site at Grimsby, Lincolnshire.

In a statement, the company said it regretted having to make people redundant and aimed to secure the jobs of remaining staff in Flintshire.

The food firm, part of the Prize Food Group, produces more than two millions meals per week at its two factories.

Its range, under brand names Buckingham Foods and Cheviot Foods, as well as own-label products for retailers, includes traditional, Italian, Indian, international and health-style meals.

According to the company's website, the Grimsby factory, which began production in 2002, employs up to 1,000 people full or part time, and has seen a £15m investment.

The company said any job losses at the Flint factory would follow consultations with individual employees and its own works committee.

A statement said: "Wherever possible, employees will be considered for any vacancies elsewhere within the business and the company has committed to provide support to help anyone who is made redundant to find alternative employment."