Bakkavor: Wigan food business starts 2022 by welcoming a new general manager

Chris Biddle joins the Ince-based team following a leadership role with Bakkavor in the USA, where he oversaw the significant growth and development and success of the business.

The Wigan team has just finished an incredibly busy period during the festive season, helping to put Christmas lunch on the plates of the nation. Bakkavor Wigan makes key accompaniments from dauphinoise potatoes and freshly prepared vegetables to ready meals and salads, which are in great demand during the peak festive period.

In his new role, Mr Biddle plans to invest further in the food products the Wigan site is famous for: particularly mashed potato which is a national best seller through leading supermarkets across the UK.

Mr Biddle said: “I am excited to have joined Bakkavor Wigan as the new general manager and am eager to get more involved in the great work already happening.

“Following my work in America, I was really eager to return and connect with the UK business and, particularly, the local sites that help keep the business running on ground level.

“Despite hard times experienced by many over the past year or so, it is great to see that the energy and passion that has always been paramount at Bakkavor, still remains.

“With such deep roots in the local community for more than 60 years - and a focus on local investment, either through employment or charitable work - it is no surprise to see such long-standing service from local employees – many of which have worked for Bakkavor more than 30 years.

“To see this level of loyalty and commitment from Bakkavor employees in Wigan is amazing and it is great to see that reflected back from the business, through their celebration of veteran staff with the long service awards.

“I look forward to becoming a greater part of this tight-knit community and meeting many more of the employees that have worked above and beyond over the past year to keep the nation fed.

“It is a great joy to be able to see first-hand the teams who have supported the business throughout the difficult times of the past year.

“This hard work and dedication encapsulates what Bakkavor is about.”

Bakkavor is investing in the growth of the Wigan business for 2022. In addition to recruiting for new jobs, Bakkavor has implemented a pay increase for the site’s 573 long-standing colleagues in Wigan.

The discretionary pay increase - which is over and above the business’s normal annual pay award - has been planned for many months and is part of a broader package of benefits that include a generously discounted staff food shop, life assurance, pensions, wellbeing services, personal accident insurance and a voluntary dental insurance plan.

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