Pictured:  Neil Herbert, relationship manager for Lloyds TSB Commercial and Mike Forrester, managing director, Orchard Valley Foods

A Tenbury Wells food ingredients company has expanded its existing manufacturing and packing operations and won significant new business contracts after securing loans of £300,000 from Lloyds TSB Commercial.

Orchard Valley Foods designs, supplies and distributes specialised food ingredients and confections to the food manufacturing, wholesale and retail sectors across the UK.

Established in 2004 and operating from 24,000 sq ft premises in Tenbury Wells, the company has an annual turnover of over £11.0 million and now employs more than 50 people, after recruiting an additional ten members of staff in recent months. 

Orchard Valley Foods is headed-up by majority owner Mike Forrester and his senior team Cherry Blumberg, Sales Director; John Taylor, Operations Director and Jackie Forrester, Finance Manager and Company Secretary.

After approaching Lloyds TSB Commercial to secure lending support, £300,000 has been invested to expand the company's existing manufacturing and packing operations which includes two new high speed packing lines. This has enabled Orchard Valley Foods to secure a significant new contract to manufacture and package the Disney and Cadbury home-baking kits within the new facilities.

Managing director Mike Forrester commented: 

"The investment and improvement in our new blending and packing lines reflects our ambitions as a forward thinking and progressive business, working very closely with our customers, and has also resulted in additional employment opportunities within the company.

 "Orchard Valley Foods has grown considerably over the last seven years to the thriving company that we are today. Lloyds TSB Commercial has been supportive from the start of our efforts to progress and we have certainly appreciated their backing." 

Neil Herbert, relationship manager for Lloyds TSB Commercial, said: 

"Orchard Valley Foods is highly respected business that is becoming increasingly established as a leading player in the food ingredients and confections market. 

"The recent investment into the packing operations demonstrates how well Mike and his team have identified clear strategic objectives to maximise and secure future growth in the company, whilst also increasing local employment opportunities. We were extremely keen to help support this expansion. 

"At Lloyds TSB Commercial, we work hard to establish solid working relationships with all of our customers. Local lending discretion is an important part of the service we offer our customers and as relationship managers, we have the authority to lend up to £500,000."

Mike added: "The proficient and timely service that we have received from Neil and his team on a local level has been both dedicated and efficient - they understand what we are looking to achieve and have provided the financial support needed to drive our plans.