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Coronavirus: 2,000 jobs at risk as sandwich maker Adelie collapses

One of the UK's biggest sandwich-makers has called in administrators after weeks of rescue talks, Sky News learns.

Pedestrians walk past a branch of Caffe Nero in London on November 15, 2017
Image: Sandwich maker Adelie supplies Caffè Nero
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More than 2,000 jobs are at risk after one of Britain's biggest sandwich and food-to-go suppliers was forced to call in administrators.

Sky News has learnt that Adelie Foods, which has been in rescue talks for weeks, has appointed Deloitte to handle an insolvency process.

Employees at the company, which is headquartered close to Heathrow Airport, were informed about the development on Tuesday afternoon.

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It comes as Britain's food-to-go market faces a stiff challenge to recover from the coronavirus crisis, with restaurant and coffee shop chains, along with all other non-essential retailers, having been forced to close since March.

Deloitte is understood to be assessing whether it can stitch together a deal to salvage Adelie from administration.

The company had been in talks with listed food supplier Greencore about a deal , while Samworth, another player in the market, could also be among the contenders to buy it out of administration.

Adelie, which supplies coffee shop chains including Caffè Nero and supermarkets such as Lidl, is understood to have been close to a deal with a major industry player, but a transaction could not gain the required support from watchdogs in time, insiders said.

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Prior to calling in administrators, Adelie was owned by Intermediate Capital Group, its former lender.

It took ownership in 2016, after the company lost key contracts with Asda and J Sainsbury.

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A large chunk of Adelie's employee base has been furloughed since March under the government's Job Retention Scheme.

Rob Harding, restructuring partner at Deloitte and Joint Administrator, said: "The current pandemic is having a devastating effect on consumer-facing businesses and suppliers into them, such as Adelie.

"The impact of COVID-19 on the Company's order book resulted in a material funding requirement and, as a result, we have been working hard with Adelie's management to try and secure a buyer to ensure the right longer-term future for the business."