20 jobs to go at frozen chip plant

A FROZEN chip processing plant, which was saved from closure in March of last year by a cross-border consortium of growers for a reported E4 million, announced yesterday that it is to shed 20 jobs, almost half of its workforce.

Ballymoney Foods in County Antrim moved to cut costs and stabilise its business after struggling to meet a sales target. It said its business was being undermined by cheaper chips from the Netherlands and Belgium.

Chairman John Keon said there was significant overcapacity in the chips market throughout Europe and market conditions have been dreadful.