Heinz writes off almost €19m on sale of Dundalk factory

The former Heinz factory in Dundalk

Heinz wrote off £13.8m (€18.6m) on the sale of its manufacturing plant in Dundalk this year to the Manchester-based Authentic Food Company, newly-filed accounts for the Heinz operation in Ireland show.

While details of the price The Authentic Food Company (TAFC) paid for the factory aren’t disclosed in the latest set of accounts, they confirm that Heinz shouldered significant impairment losses associated with the sale.

Heinz signed a three-year deal with TAFC to continue production of Heinz products at the Dundalk facility.

The plant makes products including Weight Watcher meals, its Ross line, and other frozen ready meals.

The accounts also show that HJ Heinz Manufacturing Ireland made an £11.6m (€15.7m) loss last year once the impairment charge was included in the figures.

About 160 people were employed at the Dundalk factory when the sale was finalised last February.

Source: Irish Independent

Pre-tax profits at Heinz fall by 22%

The Heinz factory in Dundalk

Pre-tax profits at the main Irish arm of US food giant Heinz fell by 22% last year.

New figures from HJ Heinz Manufacturing Ireland Ltd (HJHML), who have a factory in Dundalk, show profits fell to £11.4m (€13.5m) after revenues slid 7% to £90.7m in the 12 months to the end of April.

The accounts for the Irish firm show that in a post balance sheet event, a cash dividend of £58m was paid one day after a dividend of £49m was received by HJHML from an Irish subsidiary.

The revenues for the Irish-based firm include sales in the Irish, UK, Swedish and French markets and, according to the directors’ report, revenues for the Irish operation increased by 5% in the period.

The company’s Irish operations are engaged in the sales, marketing and distribution of all Heinz brands.

The firm also manufactures healthy frozen ready medals and pizzas under the Weight Watchers brand and sells former brands of HP Foods.

The performance of the firm’s Irish subsidiary, HJ Heinz Company (Ireland) Ltd, is consolidated into the results of HJ Heinz Manufacturing Ireland Ltd.

Last month, the comapny announced that 29 jobs are set to go at the HJ Heinz plant in Dundalk as the company moves ahead with plans to cut 10% of its global workforce.

A statement from Heinz said they were reducing the workforce “to meet reduced production demands.”

Slender Choice launch new online store for their healthy meal range

Slender Choice’s Cheeky Chicken Curry meal

Dundalk woman Karen Daly has launched a new online store for her Slender Choice range of meals.

Karen, who developed the low fat, healthy meals based on the Slimming World system – which she herself used to lose four stone.

Karen’s range of meals have proven popular in a range of Irish supermarkets and will be launched in the UK next year.

However, now you can order them no matter where you are through slenderchoice.ie

As well as syn values, Weight Watchers Pro Points and Unislim information is also provided on the packaging.

Amongst the many meals on offer by Slender Choice are a range of sausages, beef burgers, cottage pie, beef stew, chicken curry, chicken stiry fry, chocolate mousse and many more.

Check out the store yourself on www.slenderchoice.ie