Over 500 jobs at risk after feed giant ABN loses key contract

More than 500 jobs at animal feed producer ABN are at risk, with Unite calling for clarity after the company lost a major supply contract.

Workers across five sites in Yorkshire, Devon, Lancashire, Oxfordshire and Cumbria — many in rural areas where alternative employment can be limited — are facing an uncertain future following the loss of a key deal to supply feed to 2 Ag.

The contract was withdrawn in April 2025 after 2 Ag, formerly 2 Sisters, opted to bring production in-house. TUPE regulations did not apply, meaning no employees were transferred. The loss represents a significant commercial setback for the business.

Unite said staff have been left in limbo, with no clear timeline on whether they will remain employed, move to another company or face redundancy.

The union said it was not fully informed of the scale of the issue until late 2025, despite earlier concerns among the workforce.

General secretary Sharon Graham said the company had failed its employees.

“ABN is treating its workers with contempt. Dedicated workers should not be treated in this manner. ABN must come clean and tell workers what the future holds,” she said.

Talks between Unite and the company have taken place several times, but the union said there is still limited clarity on next steps.

Unite national officer Adrian Jones said long-serving employees feel particularly let down.

“One of our reps has over 42 years’ service and feels totally let down by the company as it is now just not bothering,” he said.

He added that, as part of Associated British Foods — which also owns Primark — the company should be doing more to support its workforce.

“A firm of this size should be able to do the right thing for its workforce and have the decency to be transparent about their futures,” he said.

The union is calling for clear deadlines and stronger support for affected workers.

“We are demanding that the company sets clear deadlines for decisions to be made and to support our members properly,” Mr Jones said.

Several sites are understood to be under review or on the market, including Cullompton, Bury, Enstone and Langwathby, while staffing levels at Flixborough have already been reduced through voluntary redundancy.

Other sites are not currently affected.

Responding to the situation, Jonny Lester, general manager at ABN, said the company was taking “difficult but necessary actions” following a review of its operations.

“Following a comprehensive review of our operations and manufacturing footprint, we are taking difficult but necessary actions to secure the sustainability of our business. This includes exploring multiple options for the future of affected sites,” he said.

“We are acutely aware of the uncertainty that this ongoing process creates for our colleagues and are working hard to support them with care, clarity and respect as we work towards its conclusion.

“We remain committed to communicating as transparently as possible with our employees and stakeholders and will continue to share confirmed information as soon as we are able, as we have been doing throughout the process so far.

“The actions we are taking reinforce our commitment to delivering high-quality and reliable animal feed products, today and for the future.”