Managing director, Peter Whiting, writes: “I have to advise you that as a result of the company’s insolvency it is no longer in a position to continue your contract of employment.”
Staff were told on Tuesday 24 September of the chocolate firm going under.
Many of the staff losing their jobs have worked for Beech’s for decades. They will be supported by the government’s redundancy scheme with taxpayers left to pick up the redundancy payments bill.
Michael Whiting, who was key account manager at Beech’s, told Blog Preston: “I was employed at Beech’s for almost ten years. I was made redundant on Tuesday this week along with all of my other colleagues.
“It’s really really sad because it was a great company to work for and Andrew and Peter were the best bosses ever. It really was just like a big family.
“But it was the increasing cost price of chocolate that made the operation unsustainable – a four times increase in one year. Many other raw materials also went up along with energy prices.
“As a brand Beech’s never compromised on the quality of the ingredients and I think, in the end, we as a team just ran out of time to make the business work.
“I just want to thank all of our loyal customers and stockists and also my fellow colleagues and my bosses. It was a real pleasure to serve the community. I will always cherish my time at Beech’s.”
The latest accounts for the firm, up to the end of 2023, show it was valued at £2.5million and director Andrew Whiting had given an £875,000 personal guarantee to the banks according to the latest accounts listed.
Blog Preston understands the rising cost of cocoa – which has been rapidly increasing since March 2024- has contributed to Beech’s demise.
Blog Preston has made efforts to contact Beech’s and Peter Whitting but received no response by time of publication. We have also contacted the Bakers Food and Allie Workers Union for comment.
The firm is the second household name in Lancashire to cease trading recently after Bodycare, headquartered and begun in Leyland as Grahams, announced it had gone into administration and no buyer had been found. All the stores traded for a final time this weekend.
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