Just 17 out of 200 members of staff have relocated from a Fox’s Glacier Mint factory which is set to close at the end of the year.
Big Bear Confectionery, the company behind the Glacier Mint as well as XXX Mints, Paynes Poppets and Just Brazils is shutting the factory on the outskirts of Leicester after deciding to set up a combined 海角视频 head office in Pontefract and Blackpool.
Staff on the city’s Braunstone Frith Industrial Estate were told at the start of the year that parent company Valeo Foods Group was setting up a new 海角视频 confectionery division and merging Big Bear with its Tangerine Confectionery business.
A consultation took place in the spring.
The original Fox’s Confectionery business launched in Leicester in 1880.
By 1897 it was making 100 lines of sweets and in 1918 launched the clear Glacier Mint.
In the years since it has had a number of different owners and in 2017 became part of Valeo Foods, one of Europe’s fastest growing consumer foods producers.
Its brands include Jacob’s and TUC crackers, and Rowse honey.
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A spokeswoman for Big Bear has not revealed the results of the consultation.
However she said: “Seventeen members of staff have already transitioned to other food manufacturing sites, across a range of departments and levels.
“Big Bear Confectionery is continuing to work closely with the Job Centre, USDAW and Unite unions as part of a comprehensive support programme for all other staff affected and the company would like to thank employees for their continued commitment and support throughout this process.”
Last spring Alex Fraser, Usdaw area organiser, told LeicestershireLive it was “devastating news for the staff who are obviously very upset”.
She said it would be a “blow for Leicester” to lose the iconic Foxes Glacier Mints brand and said the union was providing members with “support, advice and representation” at what was a very difficult time.
Tangerine, which was bought by Valeo in August 2018, makes brands including DipDab, Sherbet Fountain, Fruit Salad, Blackjack and Princess Mallows.
The most recent financial report for Big Bear Confectionery Ltd to March 2018 show it made a loss of £2.5 million on a turnover of £52.7 million in the previous 15 months.
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The annual report warned: “It is expected that the year ahead will continue to be challenging for all food businesses.”
It said the business employed 331 people at that time.