Chef gives food company the chop

A MEAT and pastry supplier hit by Jamie Oliver’s campaign for healthier school dinners in Britain was broken up yesterday after failing to tackle debts of £20 million (€29.1m).

Canterbury Foods, which sold products to wholesalers who then supplied schools, pub brands and sandwich makers, called in administrators yesterday after banks refused to back a last-ditch refinancing proposal.

Around 200 jobs were subsequently saved as pastry-based manufacturing sites at Bridgend in south Wales and Sheppey and Whitstable in Kent were sold to a management team featuring Canterbury chief executive Paul Ainsworth.