Bakery company buys former Nestlé factory in Fawdon

ConfectioneryNews understands that the move could mean fresh hopes of jobs at the site after Nestlé revealed in 2022 that plans to close the site would create over 400 redundancies.

"The sale relates to the premises only and the business has not been transferred​," a spokesperson for Nestlé said. At the time of writing, Country Style Foods, which also has sites in Benton, Stockton, and Berwick in the north of England, has not yet commented on the deal.

Newcastle Labour councillor Alex Hay, who was part of a local taskforce set up after the factory closure was announced, told the BBC: "Country Style Foods are a fantastic company who will bring employment opportunities to the Fawdon site, which is something we wanted as it's a key employment site in the city. I hope they will carefully consider the skills of the Nestlé workforce and absorb as many as possible into their new operation at Fawdon​."

The closing of the former Rowntree factory brings to an end 65 years of confectionery making in Fawdon, where it produced brands including Fruit Pastilles, Rolo, Toffee Crisp, and Munchies. Nestlé said most of the production would move to Halifax, West Yorkshire, and factories in the Czech Republic, Poland, and Bulgaria.

As reported in ConfectioneryNews​, the Swiss-headquartered company announced the proposal to shutter the facility last year, citing the “need to reorganise and simplify its network of manufacturing sites across Europe​.”

At the time, Ross Murdoch, GMB trade union national officer, said closing the profit-making site and moving production to Europe was “completely unacceptable​” and would have a devastating impact on workers and their families.

Nestlé has also proposed to cut 98 roles at its York factory, where former Rowntree brands, including Jelly Tots, Yorkie bars, and Smarties, were manufactured.