Fresh vegetable supplier plans to recruit for up to 70 staff

A leading vegetables grower and supplier in Peterborough is looking to recruit up to 70 staff.

Directors at Burgess Farms, in Great Drove, Yaxley, say the extra workers are needed to supply its range of fresh produce to many leading supermarkets.

Andrew Burgess, agricultural director at Burgess Farms, said: “We are reviewing our staffing requirements at our sites at Yaxley and at Isleham, in south east Cambridgeshire.”

Mr Burgess said the number of recruits needed could vary between 30 and 70.

Burgess Farms employs about 500 staff across its sites.

The recruitment comes at a challenging time for the business as it complies with Covid rules and continues to supply carrots, potatoes, parsnips, onions and beetroot to all supermarket chains,

Mr Burgess said: “Many of our admin functions have been operating remotely but factory operations have been operating for nearly 12 months at elevated levels of demand.

“We’ve broken the workforce into smaller operating bubbles, staggered start, finish and break times and lots of other practical measures to maintain social distance. We have not had any work place transmission of Covid to date.

“We’re proud of the way the teams have performed under difficult circumstances.”

Mr Burgess said some of the new vacancies could suit staff at the Chatteris-based Bartlett’s farm, which has announced it is to close in June.

He said: “Given the similarities of the Bartlett’s business to ours, we are confident there will be opportunities to help out the employees with new jobs.”

Bringing in the carrot crop at Burgess Farms.

Andrew Burgess, director of Burgess Farms.