Union concern for workers after firm put up for sale

It followed an announcement by the board of Icelandic Group this afternoon, which owns Icelandic Seachill and employs 750 people at two sites in the town.

The trade union Unite, which has about 180 members at Seachill, mainly in production roles, called for an urgent meeting with management. Regional officer Mike Wilkinson said: “We understand that the company has had a significant improvement in sales recently, so why has the business been put up for sale? We will require an answer to that question.

“Unite understands that this is a worrying and uncertain time for the dedicated and hardworking workforce. We will be giving our members the union’s maximum support in the days and weeks ahead.”

Icelandic Seachill, the last remaining food business within the Icelandic Group, is the owner of The Saucy Fish Co, and had revenues of £266.3m last year.

Chief Executive Simon Smith said it was “definitely not” a distressed company sale, claiming it was a “positive next step” for the workforce.

He said: “The business is in great shape having successfully transitioned both customer and supply base, with a consistent multi year-on-year profit growth, this is a great performance and means that we enter this process in a strong way and for the right reasons.

“This sale process comes as no surprise and until concluded, will have no direct impact on our employees.

“This is a very positive next step for Seachill, its employees and partner customers who place a high value on the business management and strategy, and it is likely that operations will continue in a similar way as present.”

He said it was the opposite of a distressed company sale, adding: “We enter this process having completed a significant improvement in the business and we now have not just a sound organisational and financial platform, but also an extremely positive reputation across our suppliers, our customers, our industry and financial organisations.”