Vegan burger factory bosses bite back at closure rumours
The North East Industrial Estate site produces burgers for the company, which has its own line of products, and makes food on behalf of other brands and pub chains and restaurants.
A spokesperson for the company said: “Peterlee was bought and heavily invested in to bring employment to the North East to scale for the vegan plant-based food industry.
“The owner has put millions into the plant with no support from the Government or the banks
“Because of COVID-19 and the fact Peterlee was for food service restaurants, it is currently in furlough.
“As soon as the restaurants open we will be re-evaluating the situation.
“However the other factory in Newcastle is still delivering dairy-free products for Domino’s Pizza, Birdseye,
Scandinavia and Asda and many other supermarkets, and our other factory is still delivering meat fishfree products to the retail supermarkets to feed the community.
“We still wish to scale up in the North East and do everything we can, even though advised against it the owner is putting everything into making this happen.”
In September, Washington-raised Ms Mills said the Peterlee site had a staff of 47, with more to be taken on as it increases production.
She said it was destined to “be a vegan burger capital” as well as make vegan fishsteaks, buying the factory site from PepsiCo after Walkers moved out in December 2017.
The company also took on the former Coty factory site in Seaton Delaval, turning it into Plant Base Valley, a hub for other vegan businesses, as well as a base for her own line.