April 20, 2022 11.47 am This story is over 23 months old

Food manufacturer to move Newark factory to Europe – affecting 100 jobs

Newark’s MP has expressed disappointment
Newark MP Robert Jenrick
By Local Democracy Reporter

A vegetarian food maker that supplies products to top UK supermarkets will close its Newark factory and shift operations to mainland Europe, affecting around 100 jobs in the process.

Goodlife Foods, which supplies vegetarian food products to the likes of Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and Tesco, will cease manufacturing at its base on Newark Industrial Estate from May 6.

The move will deal a bitter blow to Newark, as the company (the town’s biggest employer) shifts operations from its only UK manufacturing base to a site in mainland Europe, resulting in the loss of up to 100 jobs.

Newark is a predominantly pro-Brexit area as per votes in the 2016 EU referendum, so the loss of one of its primary businesses to elsewhere in Europe has been met with frustration in the community.

Comments online in response to the news have been particularly damning of the decision to vote for Brexit, with many suggesting that the decision to back leaving the EU is coming back to bite local workers, despite the promises of prosperity.

The company said it was left with “no suitable or viable alternatives” than to make the move outside of the UK, due to “challenging trading conditions” in this country’s market recently.

Newark MP Robert Jenrick, a supporter of Britain leaving the European Union, told City A.M. that he was “very disappointed” with the decision and would be reaching out to the company to ensure they support the staff.