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SAUSAGE MAKER GOES BUST

A sausage, burger and pastry maker which blamed falling sales on Jamie Oliver's campaign for healthier school dinners said today it would go into administration after failing to tackle debts estimated at ?20 million.

Canterbury Foods, which sells products to wholesalers who then supply schools, pub brands and sandwich makers, has been forced to seek the appointment of an administrator over its assets after banks refused a refinancing proposal.

The group employs about 600 people at sites in Kent, Stoke, Bristol, and Bridgend, South Wales. Its plant at Hackney, east London, closed earlier this year.

Sales of meat products such as burgers and sausages dropped by £2.7 million in the first six months of the year because of the revolution in school dinners - giving the company pre-tax losses of £11.5 million.

In September, chief executive Paul Ainsworth said demand for sausage rolls at the start of the autumn term had not seen the normal uplift.

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Heh heh heh.

Way to get public opinion on your side, dudes.  Lets blame all our ills on healthy school dinners!

Eat more sausage rolles, everyone!