Member Article

Quattro Foods looks to growth opportunities with support from Manufacturing Growth Programme

A business improvement project supported by the Manufacturing Growth Programme (MGP) is helping a Portsmouth-based food manufacturer weather the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and invest in the future.

Quattro Foods has applied the knowledge gained through MGP’s GROWTHmapper process to identify new markets, including working with other food manufacturers who supply major supermarkets.

The company is heavily focused on the development and manufacture of chilled, ambient and frozen food products. It had made an excellent start to 2020, with new contracts secured, increased capacity and a £90,000 investment approved for new filling technology, before feeling the impact of the pandemic.

The company received support from MGP, which is delivered by Oxford Innovation Services, through the Manufacturing Growth Manager for the Solent region, Robin Simpson. Robin helped Quattro Foods identify opportunities to remove barriers there to growth.

Commenting, Sam Brower, Managing Director at Quattro Foods, said: “The project went fantastically well. It was good to have somebody to look at the business objectively, and to be able to offer their insight and support.

“The changing landscape of 2020 has compelled businesses in every sector to adapt in considered and strategic ways. At Quattro we are supplying other food manufacturers who in turn supply supermarkets. We believe that working closely with retail suppliers will pave the way for expansion, growth and survival – for our customers and for us.”

The business improvement project, part-funded by a grant from MGP, helped the company to streamline production methods and look at new markets and product development opportunities. The skill of its management team has helped Quattro to weather the pandemic challenges, with demand picking up in some markets.

Manufacturing Growth Manager, Robin Simpson, commented: “Quattro Foods is an excellent company and a prime example of how a smaller manufacturer can compete against major players. In common with many businesses in the food sector, they are facing challenges in the current climate, but they are an agile business with great leadership and with a clear plan for the future.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Colin Bridgman .