A leading Wiltshire employer has closed its ‘Pie Site’ in Trowbridge as part of plans to invest in a new multi-million-pound production facility.

apetito, which also owns Wiltshire Farm Foods, closed the ‘Pie Site’ in Canal Road at the end of last month.

Last year, the company announced plans to build a new state-of-the-art kitchen facility on land in Canal Road purchased from bedmaker Airsprung Group PLC.

When combined with apetito’s Pie Site it will form part of a new 'leading-edge production facility’, the company said.

The former Airsprung site in Canal Road purchased by apetito for its £100m expansion plans.The former Airsprung site in Canal Road purchased by apetito for its £100m expansion plans. (Image: Trevor Porter)

Paul Freeston, apetito’s chairman and chief executive officer, said: “It is always sad to close a business but this was the right decision.

“The site will form a key part of the land for our new meals factory and a circa £100 million investment.

“By using the pie site land, we have been able to keep the apetito UK manufacturing business together at our home in Trowbridge - retaining our invaluable people and skills.

“The Pie Site has been an important part of our history with many loyal workers operating on the site and we expect to be able to retain the Pie Site frontline manufacturing team in our expanding meals and desserts business.”

Before the Pie Site closed, it employed around 60 employees producing a range of pastry products for the two companies, including pies, pasties, bakes and sausage rolls, for the past four decades.

Mr Freeston added: “I paid a visit to the team on the day to say thank you for all their hard work and commitment over many years during which time they have produced outstanding products.

“There can be no doubt that the Pie Site team formed a genuine community, committed to supporting each other, and the excellent quality of their work.”

The company has transferred most of the Pie Site employees to new roles in its meals production area.

apetito says the new kitchen facility will be at the forefront of innovative and sustainable manufacturing to support the future of the company’s successful meals and desserts business. 

The company is a major meals supplier to the NHS, as well as serving more than 500 care homes, and has an expanding education business. Its Wiltshire Farm Foods brand is one of the UK’s largest home delivery ready-meal businesses. 

apetito employs nearly 2,000 people nationwide. It is not yet known whether the new kitchen facility will create more jobs.