One of the region’s major food processors is calling for new workers to help it cope with unprecedented demand brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.
Thetford based poultry giant 2 Sisters Food Group employs 20,000 acoss the UK and Europe.
It processes a third of all chicken consumed in the UK, is the largest ready-meals producer and makes Fox’s Biscuits and other bakery goods. Some 75pc of the UK population eat its food every day.
Sign up for the latest updates about coronavirus in NorfolkNow its chief executive Ronald Kers has made a direct urgent appeal as the company launches its first ever nationwide recruitment campaign due to the level of vacancies.
The business, based at Caxton Way, Thetford, has multiple roles available and is keen to speak to people who may be out of work following the collapse of trade in the leisure and hospitality sectors and anyone else who have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Mr Kers said in his video post: “2 Sisters’ job is literally to feed the nation. Getting food to people has never been so important. As we come together as a country to fight the coronavirus, we need everybody’s help to keep our factories running.
“We urgently need people so we can keep delivering a full range of products to supermarkets across the country. We are recruiting now for a wide range of factory and logistics jobs up and down the country. Please join us and help feed the nation.”
The company has been hit by the challenge of demand for food from the UK public at levels never seen before, coupled with a crisis which dictates higher than usual rates of staff absenteeism due to the need for self-isolation.
MORE - Police on Norfolk’s streets to enforce social distancingA spokesman for the site at Caxton Way in Thetford added: “We have various roles ranging from packing, dispatch, preparation and there are various shift patterns to fit around people’s lifestyles. We can interview applicants immediately and hopefully we can accommodate as many people as possible. We will do all we can to help.”
Last week all UK food sector workers were designated ‘key worker’ status by government, which meant if they were fit and well they could work as normal.
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