Historic food manufacturer expands workforce to meet product demand

Crewe-based food manufacturing specialists Wrights Food Group has announced plans to expand its team of operatives to help meet product demand.

The family-run business which supplies savoury products, cakes and ready meals to some of the UK’s leading hospitality and retail brands, is experiencing an increase in orders from its UK-wide customers.

Wrights operations director, Neville Carruthers, said while the company’s airline business was impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis when it warned, in July, that 80 roles were at risk, its retail sales are growing and the company’s hospitality business is seeing the ‘green shoots’ of recovery in some sectors.

Neville said: “Although COVID-19 is impacting on how we all live and work, it is also impacting on how we shop, what we buy and where we eat.

“As an established food group, we have many returning and new customers who are turning to our expertise, quality products and manufacturing technology to help them meet the changing consumer demand for foods in and out of home.

“We supply retailers from independent high street bakers and the major multiples to food wholesaler and hospitality outlets and the steady rise in orders is naturally creating new positions within our team.”

The group’s £30m manufacturing facility on Weston Road in Crewe produces more than three million savoury products per week, including gastro pub pies and ready meals for the hospitality and the retail sector.

Headed by third-generation chairman, Peter Wright, the company operates with a team of 600 across three sites in Crewe and includes 15 high street stores across the North West.

Neville added: “Wrights has almost a 100-year history in Crewe and Stoke with many local families forming a core and valued part of our workforce. Our aim in this time of national crisis is to efficiently, professionally and safely support our customers who are feeding the nation.

“In doing so, we can support our local economy through job creation and with COViD-19 safety measures always front of mind, we will continue to create and deliver our products nationwide.”

Wrights Food Group has roles to fill in its production and operations departments with part time and full time positions available.