Catering equipment giant Nisbets is planning to cut up to 800 jobs as part of a restructuring plan following the Covid-19 outbreak.
The company, which is headquartered in Avonmouth near Bristol, is looking to reduce its costs after “unprecedented” market pressures caused by the pandemic.
The business employs 1,500 people in the UK and Ireland and has started a 45-day consultation with all the staff affected.
Nisbets said redundancies would be “from all levels of the business” and the final number would depend on the consultation period.
It also said the move would help it adapt to the “post coronavirus climate” and comes just weeks after the firm announced the departure of its group chief executive from the business.
Peter Sephton, senior board director of Nisbets, said: "Nisbets is a strong business but we are sadly not immune to the extreme difficulties that are facing the whole of the hospitality industry right now.
He added: “These are difficult decisions being taken in unimaginable circumstances, but our priority during this process will be to treat everyone with dignity, fairness and respect. Throughout the consultation, our aim is to safeguard as many jobs as possible.”
Future focus
The announcement comes as the hospitality sector battles for survival following the virus outbreak and tens of thousands of restaurants and hotels remain closed as part of the UK lockdown.
Nisbets said the restructure is part of a “renewed strategic focus” across the business addressing changes in the hospitality sector such as restaurants moving towards more deliveries and takeaways.
The company said it had already launched more than 100 new products in a bid to meet demand.
“We are known for listening to the market and developing innovative new products in response,” said Mr Sephton.
"Even in this difficult environment, many of our customers are reinventing themselves and changing their proposition.
“As we go into the most difficult period the business has faced, meeting these new needs now and in the future by launching new products will be the key to our success, and I’m confident this new, streamlined operating model will help us to do that.”
