Major Cornwall employer Pilgrim's Europe could put 160 jobs at risk

Pilgrim's Europe, one of the largest employers in Cornwall, has announced potential job losses as it plans operational changes at its Redruth and Bodmin sites. The new puts approximately 160 roles under threat.

The international meat and poultry firm said these adjustments are part of a business review aimed at ensuring long-term business sustainability.

The company's statement highlighted that these changes will keep the sites "fully optimised" and they will operate "as efficiently and effectively" as possible. It also added that a novel multi-million pound slow-cooked facility will remain operational at the Bodmin site despite the changes, reports CornwallLive.

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A spokesperson for Pilgrim's Europe said: "Pilgrim's Europe has today proposed a number of operational changes at its Redruth and Bodmin sites. If accepted, these changes would put around 160 roles at risk of redundancy."

"The proposals form part of the business' ongoing review of its operational footprint to ensure that all sites are fully optimised and help deliver a sustainable long-term future for Pilgrim's Europe. The proposed changes will ensure a skill base that will enable the sites to meet current and future customer demand as efficiently and effectively as possible.

"Redruth will retain its status as Pilgrim's Europe's bacon and gammon centre of excellence and the company will also invest in creating a new multi-million pound slow-cooked facility at the Bodmin site.

"The new slow-cooked facility will build upon existing slow-cooked operations within the business, enhancing capability and capacity. The culinary-led operation will utilise state-of-the-art processing methods and technology expertise from within the Pilgrim's Pride global business.

"Pilgrim's Europe will now enter into collective consultation with colleagues at both sites, and those affected will be supported throughout the consultation process. This will include exploring opportunities for redeployment to other sites within the Pilgrim's Europe business."

Ivanor Clasen, Pilgrim's Europe business unit director for added value, said: "We don't make these proposals lightly but, to ensure a long-term sustainable future for our business, we have to make strategic decisions that allow us to meet evolving customer and consumer demand.

"Making these changes will help us protect the majority of jobs at both sites and deliver on our strategy to be the best strategic partner for our customers, producing the best and most innovative products for consumers.

"We fully recognise that this will be a difficult time for those valued colleagues who are impacted and will provide them with every support we can throughout the consultation process."

Pilgrims, a company known for its job losses and mass recruitment drives, advertised 50 jobs in February 2023, followed by 90 new positions at its Redruth site in May, and another 70 in November. Since 2016, the firm has confirmed hundreds of job losses overall.