Recruits to help drive wholesale expansion

Jan 29 2008 by Peter McCusker, The Journal

A RAPIDLY growing frozen food and ice cream wholesaler is hoping to sustain its success after recruiting four graduates.

Eden Farm supplies lines from major brands including Birds Eye, Nestlé, Heinz and Walls to more than 5,000 customers, including companies such as Blockbuster and the Co-op.

In the past year, the Peterlee firm has grown by 30%, creating job opportunities and with the help of the Graduates for Business Programme (GFB) it has secured the qualified staff it needs.

Managing director Frank Stephenson said: “The company has grown steadily over the last 40 years, but we are now expanding at a rapid rate.

“Working from sites in County Durham, Bradford and recently expanding into Glasgow, Eden Farm distributes to clients on a national scale.

“To coincide with the growing business, I was seeking to recruit graduates from a range of disciplines who could develop the business in line with our objectives.

“Specifically I needed to fill operational, marketing and finance positions to continue expanding our client base and increase efficiency.”

The company approached Entrust to help with recruitment.

Working in partnership with universities and other enterprise agencies, the Entrust GFB Programme helps graduates find work in the region and assists small and medium sized enterprises find the right candidates.

A graduate in business accounting and finance at Newcastle University, Jonathan Hickie, was appointed as a business development analyst at Eden Farm. Mr Hickie, 24, of Sandyford, Newcastle, said: “I started to look for jobs in March this year and very quickly the GFB team approached me about the opportunities at Eden Farm.

“Unlike some other recruitment agencies, I found the team really listened to me. At my initial meeting they were keen to find out about all my skills, the knowledge I gained on my degree and my different interests. They were able to make an informed assessment of what I could do and they proactively found me a job that matched my skills.”

Established in 1964, Eden Farm has doubled in size in three years and by 2010 hopes to grow another 50%. It employs more than 80 staff and turns over more than £20m a year.

The GFB Programme supports each graduate through their probationary period by providing £70 a week for 15 weeks towards their salary. It is funded locally by One NorthEast. Since 2002, GFB has helped more than 1,000 graduates find work in the region.