Boost for frozen food firm after Scotland depot deal

Mar 10 2009 by Chris Knox, The Journal

A FROZEN food delivery company expects to boost its revenues by £2.5m after an acquisition allows it to expand into Scotland.

Newcastle-based David Price Food Services has bought a 40,000sq ft cold store depot in Glasgow, which it plans to use to build up its customers in Scotland as a way of fighting through the recession.

The firm, which stores and delivers chilled and frozen foods for a large number of wholesalers and manufacturers, decided to expand after seeing its work begin to dry up in the North East as the region’s food companies struggle with the economic downturn.

Recent months have seen a number of David Price’s customers hit hard by the recession, such as the Findus plant in Longbenton, North Tyneside, where 400 jobs were axed in January after Newcastle Production, which operated the site, went into administration days after it was damaged in a major fire.

However, David Price managing director Paul Martin believes that the company, which was established in 1988, is set to grow following the acquisition, which has already added £2.5m to its £11.5m turnover.