Kellogg's announces plans to close Manchester factory putting more than 350 jobs at risk - full statement

Kellogg’s has announced plans to close its Trafford Park factory - putting 360 jobs at risk. The firm’s owners Kellanova say the proposals, subject to consultation, would see the site which makes Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies and Coco Pops close at the end of 2026. 

The cereal giant has been on the Park Road site for more than 85 years having opened back in 1938. Kellonova says the age of the facility and the amount of empty space are the reasons for looking at closing it down. 

The company insists Greater Manchester will remain their home with the 520 people employed at MediaCity, its UK headquarters and its technology centre for Europe, unaffected by the announcement. 

Kellanova’s UK managing director, Chris Silcock, said: “We know generations of families have worked at our Trafford Park site, and the proposal we are announcing today has nothing to do with the dedication of the outstanding people who work there. However, we can’t escape the fact the site opened in 1938. It’s laid out in a way that made sense in the 1930s, with food travelling up and down six floors to be made. With changes in industrial design and technology, you just wouldn’t lay out a factory like that nowadays.

“What’s more we only use half the space in the buildings and the investment required to maintain the factory in the coming years is simply not viable. That’s why we can’t currently see a long-term future for our Trafford Park factory.”

He added: “We know this will be difficult for many to hear and that’s why we now want to focus on our people.  We will take the necessary time to discuss our proposals with our people and their representatives and show them how we will support them in the right way should this change happen.”

Kellanova’s Wrexham cereal factory and St Helens’ distribution centre are also not impacted by the announcement. 

The 27-acre Trafford Park site operates 24 hours a day and is where Kellanova makes many of its major cereal products.  Around 1 million boxes of cereal are produced at the factory each day mainly for sale in British and Irish supermarkets. The proposals are subject to consultation with employees and trade unions and are expected to last 90 days.