Marks and Spencer has moved three private-label contracts from UK fish products supplier Icelandic Seachill with 2 Sisters Food Group, Greencore and Bakkavor each attaining one of the deals.
The retailer has switched its coated fish business to 2 Sisters Food Group subsidiary Five Star Fish. A prawn cocktail contract has been moved to the Greencore plant in Northampton. Freshcook, which is owned by Bakkavor, will take over production of encroute.
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An M&S spokesperson told just-food yesterday (14 June): “As we grow our food business, improving the quality and capacity in our food supply chain is an important part of our strategy. The decision to move products from Icelandic Seachill to three other suppliers is not one we have taken lightly. However, we believe the move will further improve our fish offer and deliver new and exciting products for our customers.”
Freshcook produces a wide range of chilled categories for M&S, ranging from high-end ready meals through to delicatessen products.
The Fox’s biscuits and Goodfella’s pizza owner booked sales of GBP792m (US$1.12bn) for the 13 weeks to 30 January, down 0.6% on the corresponding period a year earlier. However, the group did report an increase in like-for-like sales, which inched up 0.4% to GBP800.1m. The result compared to a 2.3% fall in the first quarter of the financial year.
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By GlobalDataMeanwhile, 2 Sisters has declined to comment on the reported loss of a chilled contract with an unnamed retailer, which is understood to have been offset by the signing of a new five-year contract for its Gunstones Bakery near Sheffield.
