Catering giant announces new Derby food production facility

A catering giant has announced plans to open a food production facility in Derby, which will create new jobs.

Compass Group UK & Ireland will open the 107,639 sq ft Cuisine Centre at SmartParc SEGRO Derby later this year.

It will produce more than 70 million meals a year for schools, hospitals and workplaces across the UK.

SmartParc SEGRO Derby is a £300 million development, situated on a 155-acre regenerated brownfield site, focused on food manufacturing and distribution.

Jackie Wild, of SmartParc SEGRO Derby, said: “Compass Group’s new Cuisine Centre is exactly the kind of investment SmartParc SEGRO Derby was designed to support.

“We look forward to seeing the facility become an important part of Compass Group’s future production network and of Derby’s growing food manufacturing sector.”

Compass said the investment at Derby will create jobs in the local area, alongside training and career opportunities in food production. It also plans to strengthen links with regional suppliers.

The new Cuisine Centre will manufacture five specialist food ranges, producing more than 200 dishes in a controlled environment designed to support food safety and allergen management.

The building will include an on-site energy centre that recycles waste heat, while an initial phase of solar generation is expected to provide around 20% of the facility’s electricity.

Charles Brown, interim chief executive of Compass Group UK & Ireland, said: “The opening of our new Cuisine Centre in Derbyshire is an important investment not only in our business, but in the local community.

“We are proud to be supporting skills development in the area, helping people build careers in a modern and growing sector.”