Increased consumer demand for quality prepared and fresh foods, and businesses opting to refurbish and extend premises, is continuing to boost food sector construction specialist Chalcroft.

The company, which operates across the UK from bases in East Anglia and the West Midlands, has recently used its food sector experience to complete a number of major projects and has won a significant number of new contracts.

Managing director Mark Reeve commented: "These are certainly challenging times for business in general and it is definitely a competitive market, but we are seeing that the food sector is still presenting us with opportunities to add real value to our clients.

"Our portfolio of work with big brand names, and with manufacturers and producers, together with an established reputation, means that we have been able to win new clients and work with existing ones time and time again.

"We have seen a rise in the number of businesses who are choosing to refurbish or extend existing premises, particularly with clients who are consolidating businesses by perhaps relocating a number of fragmented operations onto a single site."

Chalcroft, which can list well-known names such as Coca-Cola, Kellogg's, Dairy Crest, and Nestle among its client base, has recently secured contracts for a range of food companies across the UK, including the development of a high-care temperature-controlled production facility for a major producer in Lincolnshire, and a chill store extension for a food wholesaler in Hertfordshire.

One of the most recent completions from Chalcroft was for Dover-based Tilmanstone Salads, part of Bakkavör Group, which prepares a number of value-added salads and vegetable product ranges for a well-known, premier UK high street retailer.