Meat supplier collapse leads to 300 job losses

Meat supplier Russell Hume has crashed into administration, sparking the loss of more than 300 jobs after a food hygiene probe caused customers JD Wetherspoon and Jamie’s Italian to end their contracts.

The Derby-based firm, with a base in Fife, became engulfed in scandal last month after the Food Standards Agency (FSA) launched an investigation over an alleged “serious” breach of food hygiene rules.

Pub group Wetherspoon also pulled sirloin, rump and gammon steak from the menu of its 900 UK and Irish pubs in response to what Russell Hume described as a “mislabelling” issue. Administrators KPMG said 266 jobs would be made redundant, with 36 staff remaining to help wind down the company. However, it is expected that all 302 jobs will be lost.

In a statement, the directors of Russell Hume said: “This decision has been heartbreaking.”