The UK potato supplier Branston has begun work on its GBP5m plant extension that will process potatoes destined for the convenience sector and create 20 new jobs in Lincoln.
The 1,700 sq ft expansion, announced in January, will cater to ongoing demand for convenient meal solutions, as well as helping to reduce food waste by processing potatoes that don’t meet class one specifications.
The investment will also create more than 20 jobs in operational, technical, engineering and supply chain roles.
Branston technical director Mark Willcox declared, for the local press: “We’ll be adding value to potatoes that don’t make it into a pack as a class I product, which is a great way to reduce food waste – a real win for both farmers and consumers.
“We supply prepared vegetables to the UK’s top retailers and this extension will go a long way to help us meet the growing demand we’re seeing in this area. We expect that this new business-to-business part our customer portfolio will continue to grow alongside the very successful chilled prepared vegetable lines that we currently sell to the country’s leading supermarkets.”
Branston (Potatoes) Ltd is based near Lincoln, had submitted in January a planning application with North Kesteven District Council for an expansion which would create new jobs.
Recently, Branston has hired chef Jack Stein to promote the start of the Cornish potato season.
This initiative will encourage consumers to appreciate seasonal new potatoes, in particular the Cornish season as the first UK mainland crop.
