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Merifoods gets a slice of the action
18/08/2008
Lincolnshire based Merifoods – supplier to some of the UK’s top food manufacturers - has invested in the latest slicing technology to meet increasing demand for healthy eating.
Merifoods’ products are used by some of the
UK
’s best known food retailers for ready meals, bagged salads, sandwiches and pizzas. They also supply major restaurant chains with ready prepared vegetable and fruit products for use in salad bars or as garnishes for meals. In order to meet huge demand for volume, Merifoods has used a £10,000 grant towards the purchase of a high tech slicing machine for its purpose built facility at Spalding, in the heart of the Lincolnshire fens.
Director, Nick Gale, says: “The new slicing machine has enabled Merifoods to meet the increase in volumes that it has enjoyed over the last 12 months or so since we acquired Jack Buck Foods' business and premises at Holbeach near Spalding in 2007, and allows for increased capacity for future growth.
“As such, this investment was business critical to meet the immediate challenge of the increasing production as well as providing greater flexibility to meet existing and future customer needs.
“Technology is absolutely critical to the food industry and even more so in a highly manual handling environment such as Merifoods.”
Merifoods turned to the East Midlands New Technology Initiative (NTI) Food & Drink Network for its match funded grant.
Three members of staff at Merifoods have enrolled in food safety in manufacturing training at the University of Lincoln’s Holbeach Campus starting in September.
Nick adds: “The success of Merifoods also depends on the people in it and as such we will continue to invest in both its facilities and its people, to ensure that excellence is a term synonymous with both our products and our service.”
Mike Dixon of Nottingham Trent University, a lead partner of the Food and Drink Network says “ We are delighted that the NTI continues to be able to help local and regional food companies such as Merifoods and wish them continued success. With the relationship built between the company and its local University (University of Lincoln at Holbeach) we look forward to further supporting the company in its quest for excellence and continued growth”