Amalgrow warn staff their jobs might go

Thursday 19 February 2015

Almost 50 Islanders have been told they could lose their jobs at Amalgrow after the company told workers yesterday that they could have to stop trading in July.

The company, which was brought by major operator Albert Bartlett in January 2013 has been supplying supermarkets and retailers since 1976.

At a meeting yesterday the 49 staff at Alamgrow Produce Limited were told that - despite significant investment by the company in a pack house - the business is losing money and were given formal notification that their jobs were at risk.

But parent company Albert Bartlett, who grow Jersey Royals, say that they have invested more than £40 million into their Jersey operation, and that they remain committed to Jersey.

A statement from operations director Steve Barker said: “Amalgrow Produce Ltd became part of the Albert Bartlett family in January 2013. Since this point despite significant capital investment and restructuring, the business continues to operate at a loss and after two years of unprofitable trading, the Directors are reviewing the business to determine whether to continue trading beyond July 3rd 2015.

“Despite considerable and loyal support from our retail customers in the Channel Islands, the economics of growing vegetables on such a small scale remains unprofitable.

“The Directors of Amalgrow Produce Ltd have entered into a 30-day consultation process with their workforce to try and avoid or limit the number of redundancies if the business is to close.

“Albert Bartlett have invested over £40 million in Jersey and remain completely committed to the long term, sustainable future of their Jersey Royal business.”

The decision has potential food security implications for Jersey in terms of how reliant the Island is on imported food, which is a hot topic given the Co-op’s decision to close its warehousing operation in the Island.