Young's in major corporate restructuring – Fishupdate.com

Young’s in major corporate restructuring Published:  08 February, 2011

Young’s Seafood, The Seafood Company and Findus UK are to be brought together to create Young’s Seafood Limited, the UK’s largest supplier of fish and seafood to retailers and consumers. But it also re-affirmed that it will continue to keep strong bases in Scotland and Grimsby.

With a turnover of around £600 million and selling millions of fish based meals every days, Young’s Seafood Limited will be part of the European parent, Findus Group, which is led by Chief Executive Chris Britton. Young’s has over 200 years of experience in producing sustainable seafood and is Britain’s largest  name in fish.  The Seafood Company is the leading supplier of chilled fish and seafood to UK retailers.

The company says  that by bringing these businesses together, its distinctive brand will become the UK’s leader in chilled & frozen, own-label & branded fish and seafood.  Leveraging their market-leading expertise in sourcing, sustainability, quality, category and consumer insight and new product development, Young’s Seafood Limited will offer a fish and seafood Centre of Excellence.

Leendert den Hollander, currently Managing Director of the Findus Group UK & Ireland, will be appointed as the Chief Executive of Young’s Seafood Limited.  He will be joined by Peter Ward, currently the Managing Director of The Seafood Company, who will become the Chief Operating Officer of Young’s Seafood Limited.  Louise Patterson, from the current UK HR team will become Young’s Seafood Limited’s HR Director.  Further announcements on appointments are to follow.

Leendert den Hollander, the new Chief Executive of Young’s Seafood Limited, said: “I’m delighted to announce that we intend to launch Young’s Seafood Limited, the UK’s largest supplier of fish and seafood to retailers and consumers.  Fish is a fantastic source of protein and has an essential part to play in the healthy diet of the UK consumer. We love fish – that’s why fish is right at the heart of our business – and we will further accelerate growth by drawing on our scale, heritage and leadership in fish and seafood, in close partnership with our retailers.”

Young’s Seafood Limited will employ 3,200 people across 13 sites in Scotland and England. Grimsby – the spiritual home of Young’s – will continue to be Young’s Seafood Limited’s Manufacturing and new product development Centre of Excellence, alongside its commercial leadership base in London.  The business has invested over £1.5m in operations in Grimsby in the past 18 months.  Young’s said it  will also continue to have a strong base in Scotland, drawing on the invaluable fish expertise of The Seafood Company’s manufacturing base.