February 21/Flintshire, Wales/Business World -- A frozen foods factory owned by Kerry Group in Flintshire in North East Wales is to close at the end of April with the loss of 318 jobs.

Kerry took over the plant last month. Formerly the Headland Foods factory, it makes frozen ready meals for supermarkets.

Kerry spokesman Frank Hayes said a consultation process had looked at plans to keep the plant operating.

He said, however, that having explored all options, the company has failed to identify any viable plan. Hayes said the frozen ready meals market was extremely competitive, with low profitability, and noted the company was making every effort to help workers find other jobs, including possible redeployment at Headland Foods' sister factory in Grimsby, and Kerry Group plants at Hyde, near Manchester, and Burton-on-Trent.

From the March 7, 2011, Prepared Foods E-dition