Pictured above: Beverley Marsh
The Birmingham office of RSM Tenon has been appointed
administrators to frozen food delivery business Eismann UK Ltd and
its associate company Country Home Foods Limited.
RSM Tenon is now seeking buyers for the business and assets
while it carries out the return of vehicles and stock in an orderly
manner.
The companies, based at a head office in Bedford, were forced to
close their network last week - resulting in the redundancies of
around 80 franchisee driver salespeople across the UK.
RSM Tenon, the leading firm of accountants and business
advisers, was appointed on 28 January to carry out the
administration of both companies. Eismann UK sells frozen food
door-to-door and Country Home Foods carries out home delivery of
frozen meals to older people.
The companies have long established national networks operating
from 11 depots throughout the UK - including Boston, Braintree,
Cambridge, Corby, Fleet, Norwich, Pluckley, Selby, Southampton,
Washington (Sussex), and Worcester. Combined turnover of both
companies in 2010 was £9.8 million
Beverley Marsh of RSM Tenon said: "Around 80 franchisee drivers
across the companies' branches were made redundant on 31 January as
the company could no longer trade the business while in
administration, due to the sums owed to franchisees and
suppliers.
"The administrators have also carried out a scaling down of
manpower at head office, where a further 16 employees were made
redundant.
We are now seeking interested parties who are interested in
taking over the business and assets. Eismann UK Ltd is a well
known brand which has operated in the UK for more than 25 years and
was a thriving firm.
"However, it appears that the launch of supermarket chains
delivering groceries door to door has had a drastic impact on the
turnover of the group."
Eismann UK sells frozen food to thousands of UK customers via a
franchise system involving driver / salespeople.
In 2009, Eismann UK launched Country Home Foods which was
developed to deliver frozen ready meals specifically to older
people.