Horsemeat scandal still hurts Sisters

The maker of Goodfella’s pizza and Fox’s biscuits said it was still feeling the effects of the horsemeat scandal after a fall in quarterly profits.

2 Sisters Food Group said sales of ready meals continue to struggle after the scandal erupted in January – even though no traces of horsemeat have been found in its products.

The Birmingham-based company, one of the UK’s biggest food producers, saw underlying operating profits fall £11.1m to £20.3m in the 13 weeks to the end of April.

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Profits were also eroded by rising costs, the tough consumer climate, the exceptionally cold spring and the acquisition of loss-making operations from Dutch food group VION.

But 2 Sisters, which is also one of the UK’s biggest poultry suppliers, said like-for-like sales increased 4.5 per cent to £624.6m as it continues to win business with major retailers in its meat arm.

The company, owned by entrepreneur Ranjit Singh Boparan, said it expects the market to remain tough as inflation continues to squeeze consumers’ spending power and shoppers shun ready meals.

2 Sisters said the market saw ready meal sales plunge by 20-40 per cent when the horsemeat scandal emerged, after traces of horse flesh were found in frozen beefburgers sold in Tesco, Iceland, Aldi and Lidl.

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The company has been on a debt-funded buying spree in recent years, acquiring Yorkshire-based Goodfella’s pizza-maker Northern Foods for £342m in 2011. In March it also bought the poultry, beef and lamb processing operations of Dutch food group VION after it decided to quit the UK.

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