96 jobs look set to go

- Published: 03 February, 2006

Tulip's bacon slicing plant in Launceston is to close in April with the potential loss of 96 jobs.

The firm blamed an increasingly competitive foodservice market for the closure. Finance director David Trembath said: "It's all about economics - output prices are stagnant and overheads are increasing in a market that is highly competitive." He added that its other three factories at Bodmin, Bugle and Redruth would take up the slack in production.

Tulip has promised to try to find staff new jobs locally or at its other Cornish sites. Added Trembath: "We will work with job centres and big employers who are recruiting locally."

The Launceston factory was taken on by Tulip when it acquired Flagship Foods and will now revert to original landlord Brakes.