Northern vegan food company Meatless Farm has entered administration and made its staff redundant, citing a lack of demand for meat-free products.
The Leeds-based company, first established in 2016 by Danish entrepreneur Morten Toft Bech, has become a fixture in major supermarkets over the years – establishing itself in the US, China, and several European countries, and at its peak selling over £11m worth of its plant-based ‘meat’ alternatives.
It had become well known for its meat alternatives with mince, chicken breasts, sausage and burgers once a popular choice, but now after a ‘difficult period’ the company has ceased trading, reports The Hoot.
On Friday 9 June 2023, Meatless Farm’s 50-strong workforce were made redundant and yesterday 13 June, the company entered administration.
Commercial director Tim Offer announced on his LinkedIn profile: “Sadly, my time at Meatless Farm has come to an end… the business has unfortunately made all the teams redundant.
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“I learnt a huge amount in a short space of time and have absolutely loved the people and the brand.”
Interim finance executive John Loughrey added: “Sadly things have not worked out for Meatless Farm so I am now looking for my next assignment, as will numerous other colleagues.
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“I have had a great time in a fantastic company, and have had the honour and pleasure of working with some amazing people. It is a shame the company has not made it through this difficult period and I wish all my former colleagues the best of luck for the future.”
Last month the company hired restructuring specialists Kroll in hopes of finding a buyer for the business.
Kroll announced yesterday that Geoff Bouchier and Benjamin Wiles have been appointed joint administrators to oversee the financial management of the business.
It comes amidst a slump in the overall demand for meat-free products.
Sausage producer Heck, also based in Yorkshire, recently reduced its vegan range citing a similar lack of customer demand for meat-free products.
While some parts of the vegan food industry continue to perform well, such as plant-based milks, cheese and yoghurt, analysis suggests that demand for plant-based ‘meats’ has slowed down.
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Daryll Umali, Managing Director at vegan food company Moving Mountains, said: “With one less brand advocating the environmental agenda, the news of Meatless Farms administration is a sad loss for the plantbased movement, and our thoughts are with all those who lost their jobs.
“However, we can confidently say this loss is not a reflection of the plantbased industry’s trajectory – the chopping and changing is part of the maturing process that comes with an evolving new industry.
“This is an exciting and fast-paced race to develop new and delicious products with advanced technologies and genuine IP. Some brands may unfortunately fall short through unsustainable business models, channeling disproportionate funds to brand building, and without a quality product to match the result is unprofitability – this is something our organically grown business isn’t subject to.
“In 2022, YouGov reported one in four consumers are reducing their meat intake. You only have to ask a group of millennials their coffee order (the answers an oat flat white) to hear the demand. And, the buoyancy and growth of Moving Mountains is testament to that unrelenting demand for plantbased options”
Featured image – Meatless Farm
Business
Teens could be recruited as train drivers to help ‘improve’ Britain’s railways amid ongoing strikes
Emily Sergeant
Teenagers could soon be recruited as train drivers in a bid to help “improve” Britain’s railways, the Government has announced.
Amid what have been ongoing strikes for the past couple of years now, and following on from the announcement back in February that ASLEF train drivers at several train companies and operators had voted ‘overwhelmingly’ to continue taking industrial action for another six months, the Government has now proposed lowering the minimum age to become a train driver from 20 to 18.
A consultation on the somewhat-controversial move is to be launched as part of the Government’s efforts to open up more careers in the rail sector to young people.
Ultimately, transport ministers believe this could “improve the reliability of rail services” across the UK.
This surprising recruitment drive announcement comes after the Government has revealed that the train driver workforce is projected to shrink without opening up more opportunities for new recruits in the near future – especially given the fact the average age of a train driver in Britain is 48 years old, and many are set to retire within the next five years or so.
Under the new proposals set to go out to consultation, the Department for Transport (DfT) will create a new pathway for school leavers to take up apprenticeships and train to join the profession.
If agreed following the consultation, the new regulations to lower the minimum age for train drivers from 20 to 18 could be in place as early as this summer, according to the Government, which will apparently “help set thousands of young people on track to a career in transport” once they’ve bid farewell to their school days.
The Government says its proposal to lower the minimum age would “build resilience” across the railway.
The Government has launched a consultation of the lowering of the minimum train driver age / Credit: Northern
Not only is the proposal said to form part of wider Government plans to create more opportunities where young people can gain the skills they need to succeed, all while generating more jobs that lead to a “productive” and “high-skilled” economy, but transport ministers believe attracting more young train drivers would help the rail industry provide a “more reliable service” for customers when other staff are off sick or on annual leave.
By opening up the sector to young people, the Government claims this would be “a positive step” and one that directly benefits passengers.
“We want to open the door for young people considering transport as a career, and this proposal could give school-leavers a clear path into the sector,” commented Rail Minister, Huw Merriman, as the proposals were unveiled this week.
We're asking for views on lowering the minimum age requirement to become a train driver in Great Britain from 20 to 18.
This could open the door to thousands of new opportunities for young people in transport.
“By boosting age diversity in the sector and attracting more drivers, we can help support reliable services while creating opportunities for more young people.”
If the proposals are introduced, the Government says all prospective train drivers, regardless of their age, will continue to be held to the same stringent training requirements as before to ensure the safe use of our railways for everyone.
To become a licensed train driver in the UK, trainees must pass mandatory medical, psychological, fitness, and general professional competence examinations.
As part of the ongoing ‘Levelling Up‘ mission, and set to be in force by the summer, the Government announced yesterday (14 May 2024) that new powers are to be given to local Councils and communities to help them regenerate their high streets and fill the growing number of empty shop units.
The new local authority power to “combat high street vacancy” is named High Street Rental Auctions, and it will allow local leaders who know their area best to “take control” of empty properties blighting their high streets, and rent them out to local businesses that want use them.
According to the Government, these new powers will help Councils “level up their high streets” and tackle issues that have stemmed from prolonged high street emptiness, particularly exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, such as low footfall – which has lead to struggling businesses, increased unemployment, and anti-social behaviour.
⬆️ Our Levelling Up and Regeneration Act gives local communities new powers to improve high streets and fill empty shops
💰 £2 million will help support local councils to bring high streets back to life
— Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (@luhc) May 14, 2024
So, how will it work then?
Well, according the Government, where a high street shop has been empty for over a year, High Street Rental Auctions will allow local leaders to step in and auction off a rental lease for up to five years, and as the auctions will take place with no reserve price, this is supposed to give local businesses and community groups the opportunity to occupy space on the high street at a competitive market rate.
A new ‘trailblazer’ programme has been launched to help get the new powers up and running within a number of communities who are said to be “keen to lead the way”.
On top of these new powers announced yesterday, a new pilot programme helping to “accelerate regeneration” will also give 10 areas a share of £5 million to “breathe new life” onto their high streets by planting new trees, green walls, and green pocket spaces, and improving adjacent parks – with the 10 local authorities taking part set to receive £500,000 each.
Government allocates £5m funding to ‘breathe new life’ into Greater Manchester’s empty high streets / Credit: Google Maps | Tim Mossholder (via Pexels)
The pilot is aiming to help Councils made their high streets fit for the 21st century, and entice residents back to the shops by working in partnership with local people and community organisations to create bespoke plans.
Five high streets in the North West – including two in Greater Manchester – three in Yorkshire and the Humber, one in the West Midlands, and one in the East of England will be awarded funding from the £5m pilot scheme.
Union Street and Yorkshire Street in Oldham town centre, and Hyde town centre in Tameside, are the two Greater Manchester areas set to receive £500,000 each.