Baby milk manufacturer to create 100 new jobs

The Knighton site was previously home to the Premier Foods factory

About 100 new jobs are set to be created by a national baby milk brand which has purchased a site near the Staffordshire-Shropshire border.

Excelsior Foods, which is part of the wider Kendal Nutricare group, is to move into the former Premier Foods site in Knighton, Stafford.

Recruitment will take place over the next 24 months, including roles for laboratory assistants and production supervisors, as well as HR and IT support.

Stafford Borough Council leader Aidan Godfrey welcomed the news, praising the area's ability to attract national brands as well as support smaller, existing businesses."

He said the multi-million-pound investment demonstrated Stafford was "a great area to invest and do business in".

He added: "I expect having the site back in business will be helping the local communities already."

Siobhan Fotheringham, international business director for the group, said: “The Staffordshire location was a great option for us given the dairy industry on the doorstep and local knowledge of spray drying milk powders for nutritional products."

Chief executive officer Ross McMahon MBE also praised the area for "the rich history and experience in food and drink production", adding: "We look forward to seeing this site return to its former glory in the coming 24 months.”