AS the leading food producer for the health and social care sector, apetito prides itself on using high quality ingredients and keeping its employees happy.

Based in Canal Road, Trowbridge, apetito employs around 500 local people who work in a wide range of roles, supplying scrumptious meals to around 400 hospitals and 400 care homes across the UK.

The company is two-time winner of the UK’s highest business accolade, The Queen’s Award for Enterprise, awarded most recently in April last year for its Texture Modified range of meals designed especially for people suffering with people who have difficulty swallowing.

Operations manager Kevin McDonagh, who joined the company three years ago, said: “We aren’t just here to squeeze every possible penny where we can, we give all of our food our own care, love and attention.

“We have really strong links with local suppliers and traceability is extremely important for us. We’re able to trace every meal back all the way from its origins to its final destination.

“The way our qualified chefs make our meals here is exactly the same as how someone would make it at home, just on a bigger scale.”

Later this year the company will invest a whopping £31 million its site as part of a major expansion, a development which its employees are excited about.

Team leader Sharon Clift, 47, who has worked at apetito for 30 years, said: “It’s a really great company and there are lots of benefits to working here, with a big expansion just around the corner.

“The people you work with are brilliant and I’ve made lots of friends through working here.

“I’ve seen a lot of changes over the years and have seen plenty of new products being introduced as well as standards and quality constantly improving.

“To anyone thinking of working here, I’d say go for it. We’re a great big team and it’s a fantastic place to develop and learn skills.”

Since 2007, apetito has been working to develop the UK’s most sustainable production and distribution system, which has seen a 38 per cent reduction in its carbon footprint and reductions of over 40 per cent in factory electricity and water usage.

The company has a strong graduate scheme and takes on a number of young professionals fresh out of university, such as 26-year-old Richard Hill, who joined apetitio over a year ago having completed a degree in manufacturing and mechanical engineering at Warwick University.

He said: “The staff are great here and every day is different. As a Meal Supervisor I manage a team of around 30 and ensure high standards are adhered to.

“There’s lots of potential to develop and move around at apetito, especially with the development planned later this year.”