2 Sisters to stop cutting poultry at Letham plant

Jobs are to be cut at a chicken processing plant in Scotland as a result of a change in market demand.

2 Sisters Food Group will cut 95 jobs (40% of the workforce) at its plant at Letham in Forfar following a company review.

The cutting division at Letham will close. In future, cutting will be centralised at the company’s factory in the West Midlands.

According to the company there has been a downturn in demand for cut-and-portioned chicken.

“There is dwindling demand for cuts and portions while demand for whole birds is increasing,” said spokesman  Peter King.

“The change will optimise efficiency across the group and allow Letham to focus on primary production.

“It is not a reflection on the skill or dedication of the Letham workforce. The downturn in the economy and changes in consumer demand have rendered the cutting division at Letham uneconomical. It makes sense for us to move the cutting operation to a central point rather than have regional sites.”

Mr King added that it was planned to increase throughput for the slaughter and processing of chickens at Letham, particularly for the Scottish whole-bird market.

2 Sisters acquired the plant when it bought the family firm, Mitchells of Letham in 2007.