16th Sept 2006
INVESTMENT IN TRAINING PAYS OFF FOR ROBERTS

Investment in staff training is paying off for an established family run food company which has just achieved Investors in People status for the first time.

Roberts of Port Dinorwic, which has been a leading UK supplier of frozen food to the food service sector for over 80 years, achieved the prestigious standard. which is described as a national benchmark of good practice, last month.

And to back up its ongoing commitment to staff, the company has also just awarded a number of certificates to its employees to celebrate the achievements of those who have undertaken a wide range of training provided by the company during the past 12 months.

Thousands of UK companies have already undertaken assessment under Investors in People and are enjoying the benefits which the organisation says investing in staff can achieve including increased morale and productivity, greater profitability, improved communications and higher customer satisfaction.

Caernarfon based Roberts prides itself on its commitment to its workforce, which is reflected in the very low staff turnover (less than one per cent) and the financial backing which it commits to training and support every year.

This year the company ran a series of training courses delivered by external and internal trainers to increase the skill level of its staff. In total there were 105 training places delivered by 10 different training providers.

Roberts marketing manager Miriam Roberts said: “We are wholeheartedly committed to training our staff and this continues to be a vital part of our business success. Ongoing and focused training is bringing significant advantages to our organisation as staff become multi-skilled and are able to contribute to more areas of the business. In turn, this increases their job satisfaction and helps them to see how we value their contribution to the company.”

She added: “We are delighted to be awarded Investors in People status in recognition of our commitment to developing our workforce. We know that our success depends on the commitment, support and loyalty of our staff and we are delighted to have been able to present so many of them with certificates to recognise their progress.”

Roberts of Port Dinorwic Ltd supplies a wide range of quality frozen meals through wholesalers and distributors to an extensive customer base including hotel and pub chains, and food service operations as well as supplying cooked meats to ready meals manufacturers.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Roberts of Port Dinorwic Limited is a family owned business and was established in 1924. The company’s customer base includes larger pub retailers, hotel groups food service companies, wholesalers and ready meal manufacturers.

The business is at the very forefront of food innovation and has its own NPD department and chefs. A key part of the service offered to customers is the development of new products and Roberts can where required swiftly take new products from concept to full production. The company will, where appropriate, develop certain product lines for a specific customer and can even provide exclusive recipe development for large volume lines.

A variety of different food dishes are produced by Roberts to suit almost any palate. In addition to more traditional dishes such as high quality sliced cooked beef in gravy and different cooked meat products, the company also offers a range of diverse ethnic dishes.
Its commitment to innovation encompasses everything from production methods to technology and machinery to processes. Roberts has an unswerving commitment to quality, from the careful selection of raw materials through controlled manufacturing to delivery. The factory has full HACCP and higher level EFSIS accreditation.