Kellogg's is set to permanently close a major UK factory with a history dating back to 1938 later this year. The multinational food manufacturer Kellanova, which operates Kellogg's, announced the closure of its facility on Barton Dock Road in Trafford, Greater Manchester, in May 2024 following three months of discussions with unions, as reported by BBC News. The closure will result in the loss of 360 jobs, although negotiations with Unite and USDAW secured enhanced redundancy packages and opportunities for roles elsewhere in the business where possible. Express.co.uk has sought an update from Kellogg's on successful job transfers.
Reasons for Closure
Kellanova, which was later acquired by Mars in late 2025, had earlier indicated that the factory could close, citing that its 1930s layout, with food "travelling up and down six floors in a legacy manufacturing process," was no longer viable. The company stated: "With changes in industrial design and technology, you just wouldn't lay out a factory like that nowadays. The investment required to maintain the factory in the coming years is also simply not viable, particularly given we only use half of the space in the building." They added: "That's why we can't currently see a long-term future for our Trafford Park factory."
Impact on Other Sites
Despite the closure, the company emphasized that its UK headquarters remain in Greater Manchester. "Our MediaCity office in Salford, where we employ around 520 people, is unaffected by this proposal. MediaCity will stay as our UK headquarters and technology hub for Europe," they said. Other unaffected sites include the cereal factory and Portable Foods facility in Wrexham and the distribution centre in St Helens, which together employ around 400 people.
Manufacturing will be transferred to the Wrexham site, which is undergoing £75 million upgrades to handle the additional workload. This will enable the company—known for brands like Corn Flakes, Coco Pops, Rice Krispies, and All Bran—to produce 1.5 million boxes of cereal each day.
Closure Timeline
Kellanova has not confirmed an exact date for the Trafford factory closure but indicated it would occur before 2026, meaning the facility is expected to shut by January 2027.
