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Premier Foods has announced the proposed closure of its Knighton Foods manufacturing facility in the UK, affecting approximately 300 employees. The Knighton factory manufactures powdered desserts and drinks and was established as a joint venture between Premier and Specialty Powders in 2014. Premier said that Knighton primarily produces non-branded beverages and is therefore no longer “aligned to the group’s branded growth model strategy,” while also being “marginally unprofitable at trading profit”. In its Q3 results, Premier stated: “Following a comprehensive review of the site, the company is entering into colleague consultation on its proposed closure”. Under the proposals, effective from mid-2023, non-branded revenue contracts of around £27 million will be “carefully managed for exit”. Premier said in its trading statement: “It is recognised that this will be an unsettling time for those circa 300 colleagues who are potentially affected by these proposals, and they will be fully supported and consulted with throughout the process”. Some branded products currently manufactured at the Knighton facility will be transferred to other group sites, with no changes expected to take place until the middle of the year.