Uniq to sell Malton after £118m loss

Uniq, the former Unigate food business, has plunged into a £118m loss and said it is in talks to sell its Malton pig meat division which has been hit by swine fever and foot-and-mouth.

The losses were recorded after £159m of exceptional charges including £71m relating to Malton as well as heavy restructuring costs and fees related to the demerger of its Wincanton logistics division last month. Malton made a trading loss of £11m compared with profits of £15m last year. Sales at Malton fell 10 per cent due to a fall in animal slaughtering and increased shipments of meat from outside the UK.

Commenting on the sale of Malton, John Worby, said: "We are continuing with talks and hope to resolve the issue later this year. Sale would be our preferred option."