Bernard Matthews has announced plans to close its cooked meat factory at Great Witchingham, The site has been the company’s headquarters since 1955 and currently employs 600 people.
A spokesman for the company, which is owned by Ranjit Boparan, said it was proposing the closure “to help us overcome the huge challenges facing our sector.”
In its most recent results, Bernard Matthews reported an annual loss before taxation of £10.2 million
“Regrettably, our cooked meat site at Great Witchingham is not a sustainable operation,” said a spokesman. “Despite investment in recent years and our efforts to secure more business, it is still loss-making and not commercially viable.
“Therefore our proposal is to cease operations at this location, putting the site at risk of closure.
“We understand this will be extremely disappointing news for everyone concerned at Great Witchingham. This proposal is in no way a reflection of the hard work and commitment our colleagues show every day.”
The company said it would offer staff alternative roles at its other site at Holton, or across its wider group at Flixton, Attleborough, Thetford and Eye.
“Our key priority now is to hold consultations with all employees and their representatives and explore the full range of options before making any final decisions.”