Future Of Bernard Matthews
NORFOLK - Standfirst Norfolk turkey producer Bernard Matthews has had a torrid couple of years and last week it was revealed £42m had been wiped off its value. But with Christmas on its way, can the firm turn things around? Sam Williams investigates.A bird flu outbreak, video footage of alleged cruelty, falling profits and an attack from celebrity chef Jamie Oliver.
To say the last few years have been tough for Norfolk turkey mogul Bernard Matthews would be something of an understatement.
And last week matters got even worse when the company's accounts revealed that £42m had been wiped off the Great Witchingham-based firm's value during 2006.
So where did it all go wrong for Europe's biggest turkey manufacturer? And more importantly can they recover from what has been a torrid two years?
You can trace the most recent decline of the firm back to February 2005 when Channel 4's Jamie's School Dinner hit the screens.
Highlighting the poor quality of school meals, the chef singled out the firm's Turkey Twizzler as a prime example of reconstituted, cheap and fattening products being given to kids across the country.
In the new health conscious age, such criticism from a leading celebrity was never going to be good and sales were hit hard. The infamous Turkey Twizzler's were also removed from school menus.