Food Standards Agency Chair Visits apetito

Trowbridge based frozen foods manufacturer apetito played host last Thursday to Dame Deirdre Hutton, Chair of the Food Standards Agency (FSA). The FSA is an independent Government department set up to protect consumer interests in relation to food. Dame Deirdre visited apetito's site on Canal Road, Trowbridge and was given a tour of the company's production facilities by Chief Executive Paul Freeston, and Manufacturing Director Graham Forrester.

 Dame Deirdre was shown the newly refurbished food production areas which in 2008 were the focus of a £1.7 Million pound investment in improving production capabilities to cope with the growing demand apetito is experiencing for its meals which it supplies to Hospitals, Care homes, Meals on wheels services and private homes all over the U.K.

During her visit Dame Deirdre was also talked through apetito's industry leading Foodsafe + system, which involves apetito testing its products for food safety on-site in its own externally accredited laboratories before releasing them for sale.

Dame Deirdre was given an overview of apetito's plans for improvement and expansion in 2009 as the apetito Board of Directors have just approved the company's highest ever capital expenditure plan in excess of £4.5 Million. This will include the refurbishment of the company's cold stores and refrigeration plant, a new environmentally friendly delivery fleet, improvements to the production site as well as a new sprinkler system for the factory. 

To round off the visit Dame Deirdre had a lunch with members of the apetito team made up of products from apetito's hospital meals range that are now supplied to the Royal United Hospital in Bath.