Welsh Country Foods (WCF) is closing its lamb processing business in the Island of Anglesey, UK, with immediate effect, a move which will result in 310 job losses.
The plant closure comes after the completion of a 90-day consultation period with unions and workers which started in January.
WCF stated that the decision to close the facility was taken after its key customer Asda moved its fresh lamb business to an alternative supplier.
Vion acquired the Anglesey plant in August 2008 when it purchased the Grampian Country Food. The facility is a part of Vion's red meat activities.
Welsh Country Foods site director Eddie Ennis said the company has explored every possible avenue to avoid having to take this action but it has been unable to identify any viable alternative to closure of the plant.
"We have had extensive discussions with a number of parties who expressed interest in buying the plant but regrettably no agreement could be reached with these parties whereby the site can continue operations on an ongoing basis."
"We are fully aware of the impact which this decision will have on the local economy and the community in Anglesey but the loss of the plant's major customer means that there is no longer a viable future for the site," Ennis added.
With the closure of the Anglesey plant now confirmed, the company said that it will be working closely with the relevant local agencies to identify ways to minimize the significant impact on jobs and the local economy, according to Vion.
Welsh Country Foods has been the major processing facility for Welsh lamb in North Wales, handling 640,000 lambs annually.
In November 2012, Vion announced that it was selling its UK food operations as part of its efforts to focus on its core food activities in the Netherlands and Germany and its global ingredients business. Vion's UK food operations employs 13,000 people at 38 sites.
